


Monster Outsider: Exchange in America

by tetralise



Series: Monster Outsider [1]
Category: Monster Girls | Monster Boys, Original Work, モンスター娘のいる日常 | Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou
Genre: Arachne - Freeform, Bat Girl - Freeform, Bisexual Character, Bisexual Female Character, Bug Girl, But only occasionally, Cyclops - Freeform, Demihumans, Devil Girl, Domestic Fluff, Echidna - Freeform, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Empusa, Exchange Student, Explicit Chapters Marked With "E", Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Family, Fish out of Water, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Foreign Exchange Student, Found Family, Gen, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Identity, Genderqueer Character, Harpy, Human/Monster Romance, Human/Monster Society, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Insect Girl, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Lamia, Lamiae, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Sex, Light Angst, Liminals, Mantis Girl, Mild Sexual Content, Minotaur - Freeform, Minotaur Girl, Monoeye, Monster Boys, Monster Girls, Monsters, Naga, Occasional M/F content, Original Character(s), Past Abuse, Romantic Angst, Romantic Comedy, Scorpion Girl - Freeform, Serket, Slice of Life, Snake Girl, Spider girls, Succubi & Incubi, Succubus, Trans, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Male Character, Transgender, Unconventional Families, Unconventional Relationship, Yuri, bloodsucker, chosen family, cyclops girl, demon girl - Freeform, outcasts, outsiders - Freeform, serpentine - Freeform, transgender character, vampire, vampire bat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:28:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 61
Words: 131,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26498629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tetralise/pseuds/tetralise
Summary: Leaf, a 22-year-old American girl who finally lives by herself after being kicked out as a teenager, decides to apply as a host in the Interspecies Cultural Exchange Program. After being alone so long, it'd be nice to have someone else around the house, right? Just someone to talk to and spend time with. What could go wrong?• Original content; no prior knowledge of "Monster Musume" needed• Marked as "Gen" but is predominantly F/F with some occasional other pairings.• Occasional explicit chapters will be marked with an [E] following the title name, and are entirely skippable if desired.(Currently updated on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays!)
Series: Monster Outsider [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036062
Comments: 158
Kudos: 145





	1. A New Home

**Author's Note:**

> I've fallen down a 'monster girls' rabbithole lately and it cannot be helped. I apologize for nothing, call the police I don't care.
> 
> Anyway I wanted to explore the idea of something similar to harem anime, but with less traditional characters. Hopefully it'll be fun. ♡

Leaf leaned against the railing out behind the house, her heel bouncing up and down anxiously. It was almost one in the afternoon, the time in which her coordinator informed her that he would be arriving with her new homestay. The application process was, to say the least, rough: Mr. Carson was stern and unflinching, and had stuck strictly to procedure with no room for lightheartedness. Although she couldn’t blame him for this (the Interspecies Exchange Program was a big deal, particularly in certain parts of the country), any questions she had asked him in return were met with stiff answers, grunts and glares. In the few times they had spoken, Leaf was pretty sure she had never seen him smile, nor had she heard even the hint of a smile through his voice on the phone.

  
  
_ (Reference: Kaori Miyazono, from 'Your Lie in April') _  
  


She watched the ripple of the lake before her; small, subtle waves from the mild wind rolled along, carrying small patches of brown leaves along its surface. They looked like small gondolas, Leaf thought, though the metaphor left her mind soon after as she noted that gondolas had no place in vast open bodies of water. It made no sense, but then again her mind tended to wander like this.

Leaf was snapped out of her stray observations by the faint sound of rock and gravel being crunched, rolled over by heavy tires. She turned and began heading toward the source, walking past the stairs that lowered down a short meter or two to the lakeshore. As she rounded the corner of the deck, she saw a large white supply van heading up the drive. _Guess this is it…_ she thought to herself as she crossed into the grass. She crossed her arms and stood patiently by the side of the house until the van came to a complete stop.

From the opposite side of the van the passenger side door opened, followed by the movement of a black suit climbing out. _And, there’s Carson… not excited for this part._ As the figure rounded the front of the van, Leaf realized it wasn’t Carson at all: someone smaller, with a much slighter frame, was approaching her. Short, blonde hair framed a slender, youthful face, though like Carson before her, the owner’s eyes were obscured by small, dark sunglasses. In her hands, held tightly, was a small black binder.

  
  
  


“Leaf Miller?”

As the strong alto voice called out, Leaf raised a hand and waved politely.  
“That’d be me!” Then to sate her own curiosity, she inquired: “Was Mr. Carson unable to come?”

With a small nod of acknowledgement, the woman tucked the binder beneath her arm and removed her sunglasses, swapping them for a pair of red rectangular-framed glasses nestled in her breast pocket. As she spoke, she sounded as though she had rehearsed her introduction a thousand times.

“My name is Thomson, with the Interspecies Homestay Program. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She held out her hand, and Leaf took it. Thomson had obviously been practicing her handshake as well, given how firm and assertive it was.

Still a bit confused, Leaf nodded and replied, “It’s, ah… nice to meet you too.” The woman before her couldn’t possibly be more than a few years older than her, at most. Her eyes, though studious, were a deep blue and felt a far cry from the stone gaze of Carson. Continuing in her articulate tone, Thomson clarified the situation.

“Mr. Carson seemed to have a few… difficulties, when it came to your paperwork and the like, so we had him assigned to a different host family. I’ll be your new Exchange Coordinator; I hope that if you have any questions or concerns you will not hesitate to bring them to me. I want to ensure that you and your homestay are both comfortable with each other as well as with me as your coordinator.”

Thomson gave a warm smile, which almost took Leaf off-guard; she did not ask for clarification, but in the back of her mind she wondered: _Reassigned due to… difficulties?_ She nodded and thanked the coordinator. Leaf knew what the reason probably was; after all, it wouldn’t be the first time. As she tried to shake off the thought, Thomson turned and called out to the van’s driver.

“Go ahead and let her know, Andrew!”

The man in the driver’s seat, a relatively stout man with greying hair, turned his head and started speaking to someone in the back of the van— not that Leaf could tell who, as there were no windows behind the driver’s seat.

The back doors of the van carefully swung open, and Leaf saw a light-brown arm grip the frame. From behind it, a head of sandy-blonde hair emerged and looked toward the both of them. After tossing a couple of small suitcases out, she slowly descended from the van… and continued descending. Eventually, the girl began toward the two, granting Leaf a look at her in her entirety.

A leather motorcycle jacket adorned the top of her body, but the sleeves had been torn off. Along her arms were brown gloves, extending well beyond elbow-length. They almost looked _regal,_ Leaf thought at first, before realizing that they weren’t gloves at all: her arms were scaled from halfway down her biceps to her clawed fingertips. The arms matched the lower half of her body as well: below where her humanoid hips were, the rest of her figure carried the form of a brown snake. This was about all that Leaf had time to take in, as by this point the girl had reached the two of them (though her lower half was slowly catching up). Thomson raised an arm, gesturing to the newcomer beside her.

  
  
  


“Miss Miller, this is your new homestay, Sierra! I trust from your files thus far that you have a basic understanding of serpentines?”

“Ah, yes, a little…” Leaf stammered awkwardly. The truth was, her understanding was still in development; she had grown up interested in animals, but information on liminal species was still making its way into literature and media; in addition, she was uncertain exactly _how much_ to trust that she had seen through American media. It did tend to be a little sensationalist (especially with less popular liminal species), and she was well aware of underlying xenophobia that could be intertwined in it. Regardless, she turned to Sierra, who in her upright position was but an inch or two taller than her.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Sierra. Like she said, I’m Leaf… I hope you really like it here. It’s great to meet you,” she repeated, perhaps due to her nerves. She gave a kind smile to the snake girl before her. _Is she a lamia? I didn’t think lamias had scales on their arms…_

Sierra nodded; she wasn’t subtle about analyzing her new host. Leaf was surprisingly tall, with blonde hair cascading down to a few inches past her shoulders. Despite her kindness, she seemed anxious. _She was probably expecting a centaur,_ Sierra thought to herself. _She looks like a centaur girl._ At last, she spoke.

“Thanks, you too.” Apparently she was a woman of few words, Leaf thought, but she didn’t seem ill-intended. That said, it would have been difficult for Leaf _not_ to notice Sierra studying her face; the serpentine’s clay-red eyes were intense and stoic. Eventually, Leaf snapped out of her trance.

“Ah, I’m so sorry… would you both like to come in? I know we probably have more to cover, and I can make you some coffee or something…”

Thomson nodded. “Certainly. Shall we?” She motioned to Sierra to follow ahead of her.

* * *

The three of them sat at the living room table, going over the nuances of the exchange program including immunities, expectations, reimbursement and the like. It didn’t take long, as both Sierra and Leaf were already familiar with the basics of the program as well as the bill itself.

“I think the last major thing to cover is interspecies relationships. Now, this is not typically an issue, but I do hope you both understand that anything beyond platonic in the exchange program is not allowed. While romantic relationships may be allowed afterward and in the real world, any public displays of affection, marriage, and of course sexual intercourse are forbidden. An amendment regarding marriage is being examined in the Senate right now, but I can’t say how it will go as it’s fairly divisive. It’s best to avoid the issue altogether, the repercussions for breaking this can be rather severe. I trust that won’t be a problem.”

Leaf blushed. She didn’t exactly have sex on the mind when it came to a homestay, so it surprised her to hear the otherwise formal coordinator discussing it.

“Uh, absolutely. That’s not a problem.” She glanced at Sierra, who just smirked.  
“Yeah, we’re good.”

After the three of them signed any necessary papers, Thomson closed the black binder and slid it across the table. “You can keep this for your own personal references. If you ever have any questions or concerns, my cell phone number is written on the first page for you to contact me. Since you’re both new to the homestay program, I will check in more frequently at the start. You understand, of course.” She held out her hand, and Leaf shook it, the firm grip surprising her once more.  
“Ah, of course. Thank you so much, Ms. Thomson.”

As the two watched the coordinator climb back into the van, Leaf turned to the new guest beside her. “Well… would you like to go ahead and get unpacked, or see the property?”

Sierra stretched an arm across her chest, pulling it tight, before repeating with the other. “Honestly, I’ve been in that van for a fair bit… I wouldn’t mind getting to stretch my tail if you’re okay with it.”  
Leaf nodded with an accommodating smile. “Alright, let’s take a little walk.”

The property wasn’t too expansive in its own right, but the location itself was somewhat secluded so they didn’t have to worry about any trespassing. Straddling the cabin to either side were expanses of forest; there was no proper walking path so for the time being any nature walks would be mostly improvised. They explored about five minutes in either direction then returned to the front of the house, where Leaf directed her guest to the deck that wrapped around the left and back of the house.

“As you saw, the backside of the house has floor-to-ceiling windows for natural lighting, and a sliding glass door, so you can pretty much always have a view of the lake…”

Sierra had been eyeing the house’s interior and, as they walked to the back, the siding as well. It was essentially a log-cabin aesthetic, something she was familiar with the idea of but hadn’t experienced. She could get used to the rustic comfort of it, for certain.

“I don’t mean to put you on the spot or anything, but are stairs fine for you?...” Leaf inquired awkwardly. She didn’t exactly know how to ask about accessibility accommodations for liminal species.

“They are, yes,” Sierra said with a knowing smile. “For smaller species it might be more of an issue but echidnas have enough muscle control in their lower halves that we don’t find ourselves falling down stairs very often.” She chuckled to herself. At least for the exterior of the house it wouldn’t have been a problem either way; she could simply go down the hill on either side of the deck if she _did_ have trouble. 

“Huh… I thought echidnas were like, hedgehogs or something.”   
Sierra shook her head in a disappointed manner. “Blame your human naming conventions. We definitely had the name first. You’re familiar with lamias, right? They’re just one tribe of serpentine. Then there’s echidnas like me, and then melusines and medusae. I can explain more later if you want.”  
_Guess I’m learning already,_ the host thought to herself.

Leaf opened the back door, allowing Sierra to enter before her. “We can get a better look at the pier a little later, I think that’d be a nice way to cap out the day. Now, let me show you the interior…”

The cabin itself was relatively open; the front hallway led into the living area, which had a large coffee table framed by an L-shaped couch and a few armchairs, all settled before a fireplace surrounded by a cobblestone aesthetic. The adjacent kitchen had relatively new appliances and a kitchen table long enough to sit six humans. To the side of the entrance hall was a staircase designed to appear as though it too was made from logs, which ascended to a cozy, angled-ceiling loft above the entryway.

Taking in the environment more heavily during the home tour, the echidna found herself exploring nooks and crannies with a fascinated curiosity. Given her generally cool mannerisms, Leaf found it surprising… and a little adorable. She decided to close off with mention of the sleeping quarters.

“I do have two bedrooms and a loft area, I’m not sure which would be more comfortable, so let me know and I can rearrange to get it set up for you!”

The master bedroom was, of course, Leaf’s, but she didn’t mind swapping for a guest larger than herself if it came down to it… though she wondered if either bathroom would be adequate enough for a serpentine. Although, now that she thought about it… Thomson _did_ say any necessary home renovations would be covered by the program, right?

Sierra looked at the guest bedroom first. The size definitely wasn’t a problem; it wasn’t too drastically different in size from the other. The bathroom, however, _was_ an issue. Detached from the bedroom itself, it contained a standing shower, and was relatively small in size. 

“Let’s… look at the other one,” Leaf quietly offered. She was growing embarrassed; it was her first day, no, her first few _hours_ with the new homestay and she already feared her home would be inadequate. What a terrible first impression she was making…

She quickly crossed the hall into the master bedroom and offered an arm toward the open door of the bathroom. As the curious serpent wandered in, her errant gaze analyzed the bedroom without a change in expression. Once she peered into the bath, however, she seemed satisfied. While it wasn’t perfect, it was still a fair bit larger than a traditional American bathtub and would suffice, granted she didn’t try to pile her entire tail in at once.

Sierra turned around to see her host sitting on the bed, looking up at her nervously. It was clear the girl was suddenly worried about something. Even though both of them had agreed to the program, the echidna knew it couldn’t be easy hosting a guest for a year, let alone being able to accommodate for the every need of an uncertain species before they even arrived. In response, she gave a calming smile and slithered close.

“You’re nervous. It’s okay, really.”  
As Sierra took a seat next to her on the bed, Leaf blushed. _She’s… so close,_ she thought, finding herself unable to make eye contact. Sierra continued in an attempt to assuage the unease of her host.

“I’m not gonna like, bite you if you cross me or anything. I’m nicer than I look, promise.”  
At this, Leaf looked to the girl beside her. _Does she… think I’m scared of her?... Did I already screw this up?_

“No, no, it’s not that. I just…” She rubbed her arm nervously. “I know how much it sucks to not feel like you fit in somewhere, and this whole thing is probably a lot for you, so… I just want you to be happy and comfortable here. It’s your new home, after all.”

A cool, scaled hand rested on Leaf’s arm. As she looked up, she saw another warm smile from her guest.  
“You have a beautiful home, truly,” Sierra said in a gentle tone. “And I can make do with this space, you don’t have to worry.”

Leaf quietly nodded. She wasn’t intimidated by Sierra because of her snakelike appearance; it was more the jacket and haircut than anything. Tough girls were overall daunting as hell to her. She felt silly saying this though, so she kept the thought to herself as she responded.

“Thank you, very much. I’ll work on moving my things over this afternoon, if you’d like to make yourself at home in the meantime. Then we can get to know each other better this evening. I may go ahead and ask Ms. Thomson if we can at least just get a small bathroom expansion, too, since they’ll cover the costs.”

“I didn’t bring much myself, so I can definitely help you move things today,” Sierra kindly offered. “It’s the least I can do.” As she said this, her voice softened and she leaned in, causing Leaf’s face to flush with heat. “I do have one… _big…_ question, though…” A smile crept across her lips as her scaled fingers brushed delicately across Leaf’s arm.

Leaf stammered, her face a bright pink. _“Uh.. y-..yes...”_ she whispered. Red eyes peered into her own, and she could swear her heart skipped a beat.

Between the two of them, Sierra’s tail lifted a white plush bunny into view; it had been sitting by the pillows on the bed.  
“What’s this?” she grinned, her voice returning to normal.

 _“...IT’S NOTHING, GIVE IT BACK!”_ a red-faced Leaf pleaded.


	2. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Well, it’s like you said. Sometimes, people expect you to be this perfect little thing, and… if you stray from that, they just don’t want you anymore. I guess family is that way too sometimes.”_

After dinner, the two had accomplished all of their goals for the day: Leaf was moved into her new room, Sierra had unloaded her few possessions and arranged her own room, and a call had been placed to Ms. Thomson, who agreed to send a crew to remodel the bathroom within the next few days to provide a larger bath.

“I worked hard to have the two of you placed together, so if this is the biggest issue you have with regards to accessibility, it’s really no trouble at all,” she had said. Leaf didn’t exactly understand what she meant, but if a free upgrade came out of it she wouldn’t complain.  
In any case, their stomachs were full and their arms were sore, so Leaf proposed the two of them spend some time by the water to relax and celebrate their new living situation.

As the sun set, Sierra lay on her stomach across the worn planks, her tail extending nearly the full length of the pier. Leaf was sitting upright beside her, her feet dangling off the edge, idly disturbing the water with small ripples. A small cooler of various drinks sat behind her, with a few empty glass bottles of hard lemonade resting beside it by this point.

“Okay, okay, my turn.”  
Sierra turned to look at the blonde beside her. “Have you met a serpentine before?” She had a feeling she knew the answer, but asked anyway.

Leaf shook her head. “You’re the first. I’ve met some liminals, of course, but never a lamia or an echidna or any other like you. I guess that’s why you thought I was nervous?” As she took a swig, Sierra laughed to herself.  
“Yeah, well… I’ve gotten mixed reactions before. You’re not my first host, y’know.”  
“Ooh, tell me.”

Sierra rolled onto her side, propping herself up with a scaled arm. “Oh, _gods._ Well… snake girls are hit or miss with a lot of people, but the ones we’re a _hit_ with are pretty much just huge horndogs.”  
As she spoke, Leaf found herself distracted. Not that she wasn’t interested, but between her guest’s scaled arms, spiky hair, and distressed black tee… Sierra just looked _so totally punk rock._

“Anyway, my last host was one of those kinda guys. He expected some cute, young, nubile lamia I guess, and he got me. I didn’t fit his fantasy, _especially_ when he found out I was venomous, sooo…” She spun a pointed finger in a circle. “A few strings got pulled and Lovely Miss Thomson got me reassigned.”

Leaf held out her mostly-empty bottle toward the girl beside her. “Whoa whoa whoa, hold on, we’re skipping over something… you’re _venomous?”_

Sierra laughed. “You’re damn right, babe.” She hooked a finger in her cheek, pulling the skin back to show her fangs. “It’s not usually fatal, and it’s not like I can attack a human without getting deported either way, but it definitely makes people hesitate before deciding to screw with me.” She grinned, before her face took on an expression of mild concern. “That doesn’t bother you, does it?”

“No, actually, I’m a little jealous,” Leaf giggled. “I’d love to have something like that.” She kicked her feet gently in the water. “Especially when I go out into the city. Keep the jerks away, y’know?”

With a menacing grin, Sierra raised her eyebrow. “Well, if you ever need me to come with, I got your back.”  
This made Leaf smile. She wasn’t exactly used to that kind of thing. “I’ll have to take you up on that,” she agreed.

It was Sierra’s turn to inquire once more, and she had to ask the question she had been wondering since she arrived. One of them, at least.

“How on earth did you land a house like this? My last host’s apartment wasn’t exactly big, and you’re way younger than him… Is it normal for young humans to have a place this nice?” She turned and looked back to the cabin, where the lanterns on the back porch radiated warmth and hospitality. 

Leaf shook her head. “Absolutely not,” she noted, “but it’s a complicated story.”  
In response, Sierra lifted her bottle and clinked it against her host’s. “Complicated is something I know all too well. Hit me.”

Leaf fidgeted for a moment, looking out to the lake.

“My sister’s about twelve years older than me, and she married rich,” she began. “This was their lakehouse. When I was seventeen, my parents kicked me out. I hadn’t even finished high school, but they told me not to come back. After bouncing around, staying with friends here and there for a couple years… the two of them came to me and said they’d been discussing with one another… and they had agreed that if I took good care of the property they would let me have it.”  
Leaf’s feet gently swayed in the water.

“I didn’t really understand why they would do something that big… but apparently her husband’s family owns a bunch of properties anyway so this was just a drop in the bucket to him, or something. Amy was pretty pissed when my parents kicked me out anyway, so… maybe it was her way of getting back at them. It changed everything for me.”

There was a soft pause, filled only by the chirping of crickets which had grown steadily over the last half hour or so. Sierra studied the face of the girl before her. Leaf clearly enjoyed having her own property, but it seemed like there was something solemn beneath the surface. Her firm voice inquired gently; she wanted to know more, but would not push the matter if it came down to it.

“Why’d they kick you out? I’d expect that kind of thing from harpies maybe, but _humans?_ Seems fucked, if you ask me.” She popped the cap off of another bottle as Leaf turned to her, resignation in her eyes.

“Well, it’s like you said. Sometimes, people expect you to be this perfect little thing, and… if you stray from that, they just don’t want you anymore. I guess family is that way too sometimes.” She gave a half-hearted smile.

Sierra had paused before taking a sip, and now she wasn’t sure she even wanted the drink anymore. There was a sadness in Leaf’s eyes that she knew better than to press any further on. She held up the bottle.  
“Here, you need this more than I do,” she cooed, passing it to her new friend. Leaf accepted the bottle graciously, before downing half of it in one go.

The two of them continued back and forth, with Sierra doing her best to lighten the mood (mostly with stories of her favorite fights) until the sun had long passed the horizon and it became difficult for them to see each other. Leaf’s stress had been mostly washed away by the continued drinks and good company, so she was in high enough spirits as the two of them stood and cleaned up their mess.

With cooler in hand, Leaf turned and began up the pier, giggling as she went. Her path became uncertain as she reached the shore; she swayed and twirled on her way to the deck stairs, a ballerina in the dark, and after catching up Sierra made sure to follow close behind her.

Suddenly, Leaf felt the world fall out from beneath her like a trapdoor. As her dizziness intensified she let out a cry, the stairs turning 180 degrees before her as her hand reached out for something, anything…

And then she stopped.

It was less painful than Leaf anticipated; in her descent that somehow felt both instant and infinitely long she had braced for her body to crash against the earth beneath her. She expected her ankle twisted, knees bruised, lip bloodied. Instead, Leaf felt as though her body had caught on a thick piece of piping. The world slowed to a far less frantic motion and before her was the face of Sierra, who had caught the clumsy girl with her tail as she fell. She smirked down at the girl below her.

 _“Someone_ can’t handle their alcohol.”  
Leaf took mild offense to this, or at least acted as though she did.

“I can _too,_ I’m just all swirly right now, that’s all.” This elicited a laugh from Sierra, a rich upper tenor, as she began to upright her host. 

“If you say so. Come on, babydoll, let’s get you in bed.”

She tried to take Leaf’s hand as they ascended, but Leaf found herself far more interested in holding on to a length of Sierra’s tail instead, rubbing her scales gently.

 _“You feel nice…”_ she whispered, the quiet honesty of a sleepy drunk girl.

It was only the first night of her homestay, and Sierra couldn’t help but laugh at how it ended: her host fell asleep on the living room couch, arms wrapped around the tail as though it were a body pillow. Surrendering, Sierra took a few moments to make herself comfortable as she lay across the other half of the L-shaped sectional.

 _Leaf’s a sweet girl, I won’t hold it against her,_ she thought, shortly before falling asleep as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet cuddling a snake that big would be lovely, actually. That's all I have to say here.


	3. An Accidental Glance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Sleeping prey, huh? Perfect."_  
>   
>  Sierra has settled in and is getting used to her new home. Leaf tries to be a good host without feeling incredibly awkward... with mixed results.

The next morning, as Sierra began to stir awake, her tail thrashed gently. She could tell two things before opening her eyes: first, she had been freed from the grip of one sleepy Leaf. Second, something smelled _amazing._ She pulled herself upright and looked around. The living area was empty other than her, but the sizzling coming from the kitchen indicated breakfast being made. 

As Sierra made her way into the kitchen, yawning, her gaze met with Leaf’s. She looked… shockingly awake, given the night before.  
“Are you… good? How did you get up before me?” 

Leaf smiled. “It’s a force of habit when I’m with other people. I have to do a lot of getting ready in the morning. You hungry?” She stepped to the side, and Sierra’s mouth watered: Leaf was holding a frying pan that contained a veritable mountain of eggs, while beside her was a plate stacked with bacon.

“Is it too early to say I love you?” Sierra joked.

The two of them devoured the enormous breakfast, with Leaf practically inhaling her plate to combat any hangover sickness and Sierra stuffing herself with eggs, a favorite of hers. She was convinced after the meal that she probably wouldn’t have to eat for nearly another week, though Leaf had no clue if this was actually true for serpent girls or just a joke about snakes. She figured it was best not to ask.

* * *

A few hours later, Leaf poked her head into Sierra’s room, but found no sign of the girl. The lights were off, and the bathroom door wide open, so it was unlikely she was anywhere in the vicinity. Double-checking just to be safe, Leaf rounded the corner to the bathroom— and immediately turned red.

Against the far wall was Sierra, her spiked hair drenched and flat, her upper body exposed. Her tail was gradually making its way into the bath to ensure every inch got washed, while splashing water onto the floor as it exited the tub on the other side; she was essentially treating the larger bath as a car wash for her lower half.

And her chest, certainly impressive in comparison to Leaf’s own, was fully on display. Despite her white skin, Leaf was surprised to find that Sierra’s nipples were a light shade of brown rather than pink. She wouldn’t have guessed that. _They’re pretty cute, honestly._

“Leaf, you pervert,” a voice called alluringly, snapping her out of her daydream. She immediately blushed even harder and ducked behind the doorframe, apologizing profusely.

_“I’m so sorry oh my god!! I didn’t know, I thought because the door was open that you wouldn’t be in there and I was just looking for you and—”_

From around the corner, Sierra laughed. “It’s okay, I’m not afraid to show skin. Humans have _far_ stricter modesty norms than most serpentines as it is. What do you need?”

Leaf stared at the ceiling idly as she spoke.  
“I just wanted to make sure you were finding everything okay, and that you didn’t have any questions, and…”

“Just come in here, Leaf.”  
“Are you sure? I don’t want to—”  
“It’s _fine,”_ she stressed firmly. 

Leaf rounded the corner, heat still in her cheeks as she tried her best to maintain solid eye contact with her guest. Sierra laughed as she ran a washcloth along her tail. “Everything is lovely, thank you.” She smiled. “And thanks for staring, I’m flattered.”

Averting her eyes to the floor, Leaf began stammering. “I-I’m sorry, you just have a nicer body than me, it’s…”

“I wasn’t being sarcastic, really,” Sierra replied. “It’s different when a man stares. You can see it in the eyes. I can tell the difference between lewd fantasies and admiration in a glance. Unless it’s both,” she teased. Figuring she should be forward with her guest, Leaf pulled herself onto the bathroom counter by the sink and swallowed her pride.

“I was just admiring, promise,” she began, “but I guess I should be honest; I _do_ actually like girls, so if that makes you uncomfortable I understand.”

Sierra didn’t flinch or even look up; she simply continued washing her tail. “Who doesn’t, honestly?” she asked unfazed, as her eyes flicked upward to meet Leaf’s for a moment. “Girls are hot. I get it.”

The host nodded in relief, though she still felt awkward. “Totally.”  
... _‘Totally’? Come_ on, _Leaf,_ she thought, kicking herself at how silly she felt. Attending to her tail again, Sierra reassured her.

“You’ve no reason to be jealous, anyway; your body is lovely as is.”

Leaf scoffed quietly to herself. _Yeah, sure,_ she thought. She wasn’t critical of other girls’ bodies, but she always felt like compliments directed toward her were only given with a surface level view. The right fit, the right cut, all can flatter a shape enough to a stranger. _And I don’t have much of a shape._

“I mean it. You’re cute. You shouldn’t be worried.”

Leaf forced out a thank-you; she wasn’t great with kind words but at the very least she knew how to accept them. To avoid drawing the topic out any longer, she decided to ask another question to get to know Sierra better.

“Is it difficult, taking care of a long body like that?” She couldn’t fathom; being as tall as she was already made Leaf feel like body maintenance was a pain. Triple that length and, well, forget it.

“You get used to it pretty fast,” Sierra replied in kind. “Washing isn’t much of a problem as long as you’ve got the space; otherwise you don’t really have to worry about much with body care except for shedding. And I don’t have to worry about that until next season.”

Leaf hadn’t thought about this. Shedding with a body that long certainly had to be a pain. Worse than having to shave? Who knew. 

“Well, I’ll let you enjoy the rest of your bath. I can go ahead and put your things in the laundry for you,” Leaf said dutifully as she hopped off the counter and began gathering the few clothes off the floor. Denim skirt, black tee, black bra, and…

“Huh. What’s this?” Leaf asked curiously. She picked the item up off the floor, flipping it back and forth in her hand to observe it. A small, soft triangular pad of black fabric. It almost reminded her of a bra insert, but smaller.

If she had been looking up, she would have noticed Sierra’s eyebrows raising. In a matter-of-fact tone, the echidna answered her query.

“Those would be my panties, darling.”

After a moment of processing the information, the red-faced Leaf bolted out of the room with her arms full of clothes, apologizing profusely, while Sierra just laughed to herself and continued her bath.

* * *

Having finished sorting out laundry, Leaf lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling as Sierra’s words echoed through her head. _It’s different when a man stares… I can tell.  
_Could she really? Leaf buried her face in her pillow, embarrassed. Eventually, she drifted into sleep.

“Sleeping prey, huh? Perfect.”

The words stirred Leaf awake; she blinked sleepily, rubbing her eyes. Leaning against the doorframe was the viper, raised tall, teeth bared in a grin. Once they made eye contact, Sierra’s face softened.

“Relax, I’m just fucking with you, promise. I miss the thrill of the hunt sometimes but humans were never exactly on my menu.” She flicked her tongue, which Leaf noticed was not only forked, but _very_ long. “You okay, kid?”

Leaf got the impression that her guest couldn’t have been _that_ much older than her, but she wasn’t going to contest the nickname. She turned over Sierra’s comment about “the thrill of the hunt” in her head. She was too good at playing predator for it to be a coincidence; between her exaggerated height, piercing red eyes, and bared fangs, she looked like she could absolutely tear into anyone who crossed her path. Her blunt nature and sharp jawline helped accentuate this as well. Sierra could easily be a bouncer or a prizefighter if it came down to it, Leaf thought.

“I’m fine, just still a little embarrassed,” she confessed. “I should’ve called out before coming into the bathroom, I know. And the underwear thing, ugh.”

Sierra raised an eyebrow.  
“That again?” She slid down the doorframe to her typical “standing” height and crossed her arms. “I told you, it’s fine. It’s not like nobody’s ever seen me naked. Or handled my underwear. Pretty adorable how embarrassed you were, though.” Sierra smiled at the thought.

“It’s just a body, and that’s just clothing, it’s really not that big of a deal,” she continued. Leaf knew she was trying to be assuring, but she had a very forward way of doing so. “I mean, I’ll be with you for a long time so maybe it’s best that we ripped the band-aid off there, yeah?”

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” Leaf agreed. Her guest continued.

“What I’ve known some people to do, especially with public bathing or whatever, is to just go ahead and strip down, take a minute or two to get the awkwardness out of the way with seeing each other, and then it’s just _done._ Not weird anymore after that. If that’s your speed, just let me know.”

Leaf seemed to be spending her day more flustered than not. She thought of the echidna before her casually displaying her body as though it was no big deal, with her chest on display, curves leading into hips and tail, and… _what_ does _a snake girl look like below the waist anyway? She was obscured in the bath…_ Her curiosity tried to piece it together for a moment, then she shook her head, clearing the vision like a mental Etch-a-Sketch.

“I’m not stripping down. I can’t, I… no.”

Sierra tipped her head and shrugged. “Just an offer, hon. No worries.” She turned and began slithering out of the room, calling over her shoulder playfully as she left. 

“Just let me know if you change your mind.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A rough floorplan of Leaf's cabin can be found [here](https://i.imgur.com/Sl0OuY7.png)!


	4. Expansions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _There was a soft pause, as though Leaf couldn’t decide whether the thing she wanted to say was worth it or not, as though she was afraid of sounding stupid. As Sierra’s mouth curled in concern her host finally spoke, a crack in her voice._  
>   
>  The girls sign off on a much-needed addition to the cabin, though with the construction comes adjusting their sleep schedule due to the noise.

After their first week together, a contractor arrived at the lakehouse to measure the bathroom and look into expansion. Accompanying him, to the girls’ surprise, was Ms. Thomson.

“I figured I may as well check in on you two while they’re looking over the bathroom— two birds, one stone, and all.” She paused for a moment, then added, “remind me not to use that expression when dealing with harpies.”  
Leaf nodded; Sierra wasn’t familiar with the phrase in the first place, but she played along.

“Anyhow, you’re both getting along okay, I hope?”

The two of them agreed. _Other than the face full of nudity I accidentally received the other day,_ Leaf thought. Even though she found that Sierra had a more dominant air to her, she was enjoying their time together. The girl was so nonchalant, so forward; Leaf never had to guess what she was thinking, which eased her anxiety greatly. Likewise, Sierra enjoyed having someone to tease lightly, though she was learning not to take it too far.

“I’m glad to hear it.” Thomson took a long sip of coffee. “I know Sierra’s last host was difficult, so I really hoped that she would be comfortable here. It’s awfully quiet out here, too; I imagine having a roommate must be somewhat of a relief at times.”

Leaf found herself smiling as she turned to the girl beside her. “Yeah, I’m not exactly used to visitors or neighbors, so it’s nice that the cabin feels a little less lonely.”

Sierra’s mouth curled into a grin. “Lonely enough to walk in on someone in the bath, even.” Leaf choked on her coffee.

The next several minutes were spent trying to explain to her Exchange Coordinator that no, she did not intentionally peek on the bathing echidna, and that it was an uncomfortable accident. Eventually, Sierra confirmed this to Thomson with a laugh. “It’s true, she didn’t mean to. I just wanted to see her squirm when I brought it up,” she teased. It definitely worked; Leaf was beyond flustered.

From the other room, a gruff voice called out for Thomson. She set her coffee down and stood from her chair. “Excuse me, ladies.”

As the coordinator and contractor discussed expansion to the lakehouse from a few rooms away, Leaf nudged the girl beside her.  
“You’re never gonna let me live that down, huh?” she sighed with a smile. Sierra’s tail slid up against her and rubbed her back affectionately.  
“Come on, Leaf. It’s all in fun, you know I love you.”

Leaf blushed, unsure what to say in response.

* * *

“Okay ladies, our contractor and I have discussed a couple of options, and I want to run each of them by you.”

The three of them stood in the front lawn at Thomson’s request, facing the house’s exterior. She motioned toward the location of where the master bedroom was. Her expression was difficult to read due to her dark sunglasses.

“The first option, which I mentioned before, is to remodel the bathroom itself to have a much larger bath, appropriate for your comfort,” Thomson articulated, turning to Sierra. “That said, the additional overall space available in the bathroom would obviously be reduced. The other option…”

Thomson motioned out past the house and to the right, turning away from the girls once more. “...would be to add a small secondary building that would serve as a bathhouse suitable for just about any liminal or even several occupants at once, including ample space for a serpentine such as yourself. It’s become a popular option with some of our other more rural host families. There would be a walkway, either open or enclosed, extending from it to the side of the building right about there.” She swept her arm slowly to the left, presuming that the others would be able to envision it.

Leaf blinked, bewildered. _Thomson’s not messing around. A full-on bathhouse?_ Trying not to wear her thoughts on her face, she looked out of the corner of her eye at Sierra. The viper would clearly favor a much larger bathing area, even if she wouldn’t admit it. In addition, if there ever _were_ visitors it’d be a perfect expansion, right? Leaf had always wanted a hot tub as a child; maybe this was the next best thing.

“Well, unless Sierra feels differently, I think a bathhouse sounds lovely,” Leaf noted. Sierra was doing her best to remain a neutral party, but her tail flicked excitedly.  
“That sounds great to me,” she agreed.

“Excellent ladies, thank you.” Thomson took some brief notes on her smartphone before tucking it back into her pocket. “Naturally, the costs will be covered; we’ll begin construction within the next few days and it should be a relatively quick process. It’s been a pleasure as always, Miss Miller.” She shook their hands, and she and the contractor were on their way.

* * *

Construction on the bathhouse started two days later, and the girls didn’t sleep much as a result: the sounds of hammers and saws began echoing around the lake as early as seven in the morning, going until nearly nine at night, and were consistent enough that the two eventually had to try and adjust their sleep schedules accordingly. To thank the crew for their help, Leaf brought out drinks for them on a regular basis, both alcoholic and non. After all, she thought, the least she could do was keep them happy. Over the course of the week she and Sierra were also thankful to meet other liminals who were part of the crew: two heavyweight centaurs aided as part of the regular construction efforts, and both a kobold and an arachne had stopped by as supervisors on particular days.

After a day of sunbathing on the back deck, Sierra crossed into the living area to find Leaf curled up on the couch, eyes glued to the television. She had fallen in a trance watching an anime that seemed to be about high school girls. Curious, Sierra slithered up behind the couch, leaning over her host.

“Whatcha watching?”

Leaf clicked the pause button and looked over her shoulder at the looming presence. “It’s a shoujo anime about a girl who’s in love with her best friend, but she’s afraid to tell her. It’s super cute.” What she _didn’t_ tell Sierra is that she cried nearly every time she watched it. After a moment, she offered the remote. “...Do you want to watch something else?”

Sierra shook her head and climbed over the couch to join her friend. “No, this sounds nice. I’ll check it out. Should’ve known you were the sentimental type,” she joked.

The two of them sat together, with Leaf quietly pointing out characters and their relationships as they appeared for the first time. At the start of the next episode, Sierra found herself intrigued by one character in particular: a tall, tomboyish girl who acted chivalrous and protective of a smaller, innocent blonde.

“Who’s that?”  
“Oh, that’s Tomoe,” Leaf explained without looking away from the TV. “She’s a little older because she took a few years off from school, but she’s dating that blonde girl. She’s kinda like you in a way, I guess.”  
Onscreen, Tomoe wrapped her arms around the smaller girl affectionately. Sierra’s eyes sparkled with wonder.

“You okay?”  
The pair was… beautiful.  
“Yoo-hoo, Sierra… you good?”

Abruptly, she turned to her left to see Leaf staring at her, an amused look on her face. Embarrassed, Sierra tried to compose herself. “Uh, yeah! Sorry, yeah, I was getting into the show. I’m fine.”  
Leaf giggled. “You like this kinda stuff, huh? Thought you were all tough.”  
Finally, it was her turn to tease. Sierra blushed slightly, then turned back to the TV, her words falling flatly in response. “It’s fine. It’s a good show.”   
“Sure thing.” She felt Leaf nudge her in the side; she could hear the smile on her lips.

Their third episode ended, with the main character upset that she wasn’t “cute enough” for her friend to notice her the same way. As the opening credits of the fourth episode began, Sierra heard Leaf pipe up quietly from beside her in a voice quiet enough that at first she wasn’t even certain the girl had spoken at all.

“Sierra?...”

She turned to look at Leaf, whose eyes were still on the television. There was a glassiness to her expression, a melancholy that Sierra found reminiscent of werewolves gazing longingly at the moon. 

“What’s up, kid?”  
There was a soft pause, as though Leaf couldn’t decide whether the thing she wanted to say was worth it or not, as though she was afraid of sounding stupid. As Sierra’s mouth curled in concern her host finally spoke, a crack in her voice.

“... am I pretty?”

Sierra wasn’t sure why, but the question broke her heart. There certainly wasn’t anything explicitly _unattractive_ about Leaf; she was a young, blonde woman with friendly eyes and a kind smile, who at worst was worried about other people’s comfort. What made her think otherwise?

“Oh, babe…” Sierra rested her hand on the girl’s arm assuringly. “Of course you are, you’re lovely. Really, I wouldn’t lie to you about that.” 

It was hard for the viper to feel comforting; she knew her hands felt coarse and abrasive rather than soft. Even a more common, nonvenomous lamia would have an advantage over her, as their hands lacked scales or claws and were perfectly dainty and feminine.  
“Why on earth would you think you’re not?”

Leaf sighed and pulled away softly. “It’s… nothing. I think I’m gonna go to bed early. I’m sorry.” Slowly, she stood and rounded the couch, beginning toward her room. Sierra looked at the clock: it was hardly even eight in the evening.

As Leaf entered the main hallway, two long, scaled arms wrapped around her from behind and held her, from shoulders to waist, the same cross-armed pose of the tall girl they had seen on TV. Sierra’s head rested gently against her own. There was a sadness in her own voice as she whispered to her.

_“You’re such a beautiful human, Leaf… You really really are, I swear it…”_

In her arms, Leaf found herself unable to hold back as she began crying.


	5. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”_   
>  _Sierra nodded silently. She couldn’t argue it in the least, the moon’s reflection on the surface of the lake was nearly hypnotizing. As she looked over the water, her tail swayed gently on the deck behind them. “It… really is.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter chapter, but one that I've been looking forward to. Yay, character development!

The emotional end to the night left Sierra restless. Upon waking for a third time she groaned and reached out beside the mattress, patting the floor in an effort to find her phone. Eventually she found it, and upon seeing the time on the screen— **2:00AM—** wished she hadn’t. _Great,_ she thought, _I’m gonna feel like hell in the morning._ Donning an overly-long black tank that covered her human half fully, Sierra headed to the kitchen for a drink.

As soon as she stepped into the living area, her body seized up. It was dark, but Sierra’s ability to detect heat in the absence of light immediately alerted her to nearby danger.

Someone was on the back deck. 

In that moment, Sierra would have been nearly unrecognizable: her pupils constricted to thin slits as she raised herself up to nearly nine feet tall, baring her fangs. She held her clawed arms out to her side, ready to use them to kill if need be. If she was lucky, the intruder would be unaware that liminals weren’t allowed to attack humans.  
If she was even luckier… the intruder would be a liminal, and she wouldn’t have to hold back at all.

As she reached the glass door and grabbed its handle, the entity turned around, jumping slightly.

“Sierra?”

Immediately, the echidna sank down and relaxed her muscles. On the other side of the glass was Leaf, who had been looking out over the lake in the night. Sierra breathed a sigh of relief.  
“Gods, Leaf, you scared the hell out of me… I thought there was an intruder, I’m so sorry. I didn’t frighten you did I?"

The blonde gave a soft smile. “Only a little. It’s okay, come on out.”  
Sierra slithered onto the deck, her tail closing the door behind her. The night was still, with not a sound to be heard past the chirping of insects and some nocturnal birds. The two of them shared the silence for a minute, until eventually Leaf spoke.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”  
Sierra nodded silently. She couldn’t argue it in the least, the moon’s reflection on the surface of the lake was nearly hypnotizing. As she looked over the water, her tail swayed gently on the deck behind them. “It… really is.”  
She felt Leaf’s head rest on her shoulder.  
“Thank you for trying to cheer me up earlier, too.”

Sierra smiled, rubbing her back affectionately. “Of course. I told you I got you, remember? And… sorry again for scaring you.”  
Her apology drew a giggle from Leaf’s lips. “It’s okay. You’re quite the predator in the darkness,” she praised. “Did I look like prey?”

Sierra grinned, showing her sharp teeth.   
“You did, a bit. Bright-eyed and raw, and _definitely_ helpless,” she teased. “Honestly, who could blame a carnivore for confusing the two?” Sierra lifted herself up another foot or so to look more intimidating.

“Oh yeah?” Leaf said playfully, raising an eyebrow and meeting her eyes with a smirk. Her voice carried unspoken words along with it: _prove it._

She felt Sierra’s tail slowly begin to coil around her, starting below her knees and continuing upward around her waist and arms. Not tightly, of course, but enough to keep her secure.

Sierra looked down at her restrained host and extended a gentle claw, lifting Leaf’s chin up to meet her gaze as she smirked. _“Yeah.”_

The shift in Leaf’s expression was both subtle and gradual. As fierce red eyes stared into her she felt… breathless. So much so, in fact, that she could only think to whisper the same response.

 _“...Oh..yeah?...”  
_Sierra was close enough to feel the trembling in the girl’s breath.

_“Yeah…”_

As their lips met, Leaf let out a quiet whimper. Gradually she felt Sierra’s tail recede, and for a moment the impulse crossed her mind to pull away. She _had_ to pull away. It was wrong. Instead, she found herself surrendering to the viper’s charm, her hand grasping at Sierra’s shirt pleadingly once freed. After a few minutes they parted, and Leaf found Sierra looking into her eyes once more. This time, her expression was gentle.

“Should we… go back inside?” she breathed quietly.  
Leaf’s mind screamed at her to refuse, to turn her away and go to bed, pretend nothing happened. Instead, she felt herself shyly nodding.

* * *

As Leaf entered her homestay’s bedroom, she was surprised to find that there was no actual bed; by this point Sierra had disassembled the bedframe entirely and moved it into the closet, preferring a setup much lower to the ground.

Sierra gave an assuring smile as she slid past, then paused. Leaf looked not only shy but… uncomfortable.

“Are you okay, kid? I’m not pressuring you, am I?”

Leaf looked to the ground. She didn’t feel pressured, but she also didn’t want to risk everything so quickly. If something happened, if they _slept together,_ there was a chance Thomson would find out. And if she did, Leaf could be arrested and Sierra likely deported. Quietly, she tried to articulate her thoughts.

“You’re not, promise. I’m just nervous. And scared. ...And worried.” She could probably rattle off countless other feelings as well.

Sierra nodded and slid over to the mattress on the floor, curling her lower half beneath her. “Let’s talk, then.”

The two of them settled in, and Leaf explained the concerns that ran through her mind: how Sierra was amazing to have around and that she felt protected by her, how she was terrified of that breaking bad so quickly, how it hadn’t even been that long but Thomson finding out could be the end for both of them. Sierra understood all of it, without being upset or offended. Her blunt nature helped in that regard, it seemed: there was no time for misconstrued feelings. Leaf felt the words continue to pour from her mouth.

“I’m sorry, I know it’s a lot and I should have said that while we were outside. But I was scared and flustered and nobody’s ever really looked at me like that, or treated me like that. Ever. And I just don’t want to disappoint you or freak you out because I’m different and…” Leaf couldn’t stop herself from spilling more and more, until she felt Sierra’s arm on her own in an attempt to calm her down. She felt like she was going to cry at any second.

“Because you’re different?” she laughed softly. “Leaf, have you seen me? I’m a twenty-foot-long girl with a snake tail and scaly arms. People being scared of me was half of my fear with the exchange program, and it still happens sometimes. You’re a regular human, you’re not gonna freak me out.”

Leaf grew quiet. Her next words were chosen carefully.  
“I’m not, though. People like me aren’t exactly well liked in a lot of places.”  
Sierra rubbed her arm affectionately. Leaf didn’t mind the roughness of her palm at all, it was the intent that mattered. She swallowed. _Guess it had to happen eventually._

“...I wasn’t born like this. I’m trans. So… yeah. I’m different from the other girls. And so is… my body.”

It took a second for Sierra to grasp the meaning behind the word, as serpentines were all female, but the other sentences clued her in pretty quickly. And then… she felt awful. 

The reason Leaf was so insecure when she saw her in the bath.  
Why her parents kicked her out, leaving her struggling to find a home until she was saved by her older sister.  
Why Sierra’s offer of stripping down to get comfortable seeing each other was so adamantly refused.  
Why she… was afraid to be intimate.

To her, Leaf looked like any other human girl, but Leaf didn't feel normal around others at all. Now that Sierra knew, she couldn't stand to think of how much the girl had been hurting.

“That’s why Ms. Thomson wanted to put us together,” she said softly to herself. Leaf turned to look at her questioningly; she had no idea what was meant by this. Understanding the expression on her face, Sierra continued.

“Do you remember what I said on the dock? How even if someone likes snake girls they expect something beautiful, delicate and feminine when they meet one? We’re both… outliers.”

She felt a soft hand on her own as Leaf looked up to meet her eyes, smiling. There was a sadness in her expression but with an odd note of comfort. “I guess you’re right, huh…”

The two of them sat on the mattress, bathed in the moonlight that shone in through Sierra’s windows as their hands gently caressed each other’s.

“If it’s okay with you…” Leaf began, “I think I’d prefer to keep things platonic right now. I like you protecting me, and I like how you look at me. But I also want you to be able to stay, and for someone like me intimacy is… pretty scary. I’m so sorry.”

Sierra nodded; she could tell that it was hard for Leaf to be so open. “You don’t have to apologize at all. I get it and it’s no trouble. But if there’s anything I can do to make you comfortable, I’ll do it.” She had more or less intended tonight’s flirtations to be purely physical, so there were no hard feelings on her end in the least. With a kind smile, Sierra tried to assuage the girl beside her by ending on a high note.

“That said… if you want to stay here with me tonight for company’s sake, you’re more than welcome to. I won’t try any funny business,” she teased.

Leaf responded with a touched smile. “I’d like that.”

Not long after, the two had fallen asleep on the mattress, with Sierra’s tail wrapped protectively around her host.

 _I won’t let anyone hurt you,_ the serpent thought before drifting off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m adding this postscript many months after the fact, but:
> 
> Back when I first posted this chapter I received a comment that said I should put relevant things to Leaf’s identity in the tags as a heads-up because some people ‘might not know how to feel about’ it, or may prefer not to read it, or something to that effect. If you’re one of those people, this disclaimer is for you.
> 
> Yes, Leaf is trans. The story was already inherently queer and this is just another aspect of it. I believe in writing what I know, and representing experiences I’m familiar with that might be less commonly represented or that others may be unfamiliar with. I find it especially important here because, well, most people don’t _know_ someone like Leaf in person, and have a lot of preconceptions that mostly step from...bad media and porn. I won’t be exploring that part too deeply, but it provides a perfect parallel for ‘monster girls’.
> 
> In any case, you’ll find Leaf’s identity is only one small aspect of a story that is much bigger. I hope you’ll stick around to read more, there’s a lot to come.
> 
> — tetralise 💙


	6. Baring It All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“We already agreed that we weren’t going to do anything, so I don’t mind if you look at least. It’s natural to be curious about the anatomy of a liminal species.”_  
>   
>  The renovations are complete, and the girls are excited to check out the new bathhouse. Leaf receives an urgent call from Ms. Thomson.

After two weeks of construction, the bathhouse had finally been finished, and Sierra couldn’t be happier. The crew had been startlingly fast, and the job was incredibly thorough— if it weren’t for patches of grass that still had to regrow around it, one could have assumed that the facility had _always_ been there. After assuring the foreman that they would call if they had any questions or concerns, both Sierra and Leaf decided to christen the new addition to their home… platonically, of course.

Leaf was stunned as she looked at the new bathing area. It didn’t look like much from the outside, but the white-and-seafoam-green tiling and porcelain on the interior made it feel absolutely _luxurious._ To each side of the room was a personal showerhead along with a mirror, the floor sloping almost imperceptibly to a drain in the corner. 

Sierra entered behind her host and gasped. “I know she said it was a bathhouse, but I didn’t think she meant _this nice.”_ Her eyes sparkled as she looked to the back wall, where the raised porcelain extended to— the large, rectangular bath took up two-thirds of the room, running about ten by fifteen feet. It was already full and judging by the steam, it was wonderfully hot.

Leaf walked over to one of the personal showers and fiddled with the detachable head. “Guess I gotta learn how to take care of this place too,” she mumbled to herself before catching something out of the corner of her eye. Propped against the floor was a small blue binder. She picked it up and flipped it open, seeing the first laminated page: HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR NEW BATHHOUSE.

 _Convenient,_ Leaf thought. She turned around to ask Sierra what she was thinking about it all, only to catch full view of toned abs and immaculately-shaped breasts, with dark areolas standing out in stark contrast to the skin surrounding them. Her mind went to pure static.

 _“Oh I can’t wait to try this thing out!”_ Sierra exclaimed as she slipped toward the bath, effortlessly gliding over its edge. As she slowly sank her upper body into the bath, lying nearly flat to soak up to her shoulders, she let out a moan of delight. “You have _got_ to come in, Leaf, it’s _amazing…_...Leaf?”

The echidna rolled onto her other side and looked toward her host, who was standing by the shower and clutching the binder to her chest, pink with embarrassment. Sierra giggled. She almost looked like a nervous schoolgirl. 

“We’ve got a large bathing area, so you’re going to see some skin, it’s fine,” Sierra noted. “Besides, you’ve been so anxious. This will be good for your nerves, promise. And you don’t have to be naked yourself if you don’t want to.”

Quietly, Leaf nodded. “I guess you’re right…” Sierra smiled and rolled back over to face the other direction. She knew privacy would be desired. After a minute or so, she heard the gentle _splish_ of the girl stepping into the bath, and after a moment, a nervous voice quietly announcing: “ready.”

Slowly, Sierra turned around. Sitting against the edge of the bath was Leaf, her hair pulled into a ratty ponytail. Her hand was held to her chest, keeping a towel in place that was wrapped around her body to just below her hips. Sierra smiled.

“I’m glad you joined! Doesn’t it feel nice?”  
Leaf nodded. “It really does… I’m sorry for being so weird about my body.”

“Don’t be,” Sierra was gentle but firm. “You’re allowed to take your own time.” Leaf’s face was pink again, but not from the heat: her serpentine homestay had her arms resting out to the side and was not the least bit shy about her chest being on display. Once Sierra noticed this, she leaned upright, presenting herself a little more thoroughly. 

“We already agreed that we weren’t going to do anything, so I don’t mind if you look at least,” she teased confidently. “It’s natural to be curious about the anatomy of a liminal species.” Leaf began to stammer, which only made Sierra giggle.

“I-... you’re… a demon,” Leaf muttered, averting her eyes. The proud girl laughed.  
“Only in some legends, I think.”

As the two of them soaked, Leaf found that Sierra was right: her anxiety was in fact melting away. It had been so long since she’d had a bath of this quality.

“Uhm… Sierra?...”  
Sierra lifted her head, pulling herself back into reality as her red eyes focused on the other girl. “Hm?”

Leaf was trying to make eye contact, but still found herself looking away every few words. “Thank you, for being so patient and nice.”   
Her homestay smiled back at her. “Of course, kid. I’m not as scary as I look, right?

Leaf looked down, chuckling to herself. “You don’t look scary.” After another moment or two, she spoke up again. “I… think I want to take you up on your offer. About… seeing each other. I want to work on liking my body more.”

Sierra was surprised. She knew Leaf was terrified, but this was a hell of a step for her to take. “You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable. But if you think you’re ready,” she smiled assuringly, “would you like me to go first? Or same time?”

“Same time,” Leaf gulped, trying to sound confident. Sierra nodded.

“Of course. On three? One…”  
“Two…” Leaf’s hand began untucking the towel’s fold.  
_“Three,”_ they said in unison.

Leaf had already seen Sierra’s breasts, but in the context of her entire body they seemed more like accents on a chiseled marble statue. One of her scaled arms was folded across her toned stomach and resting in the curve of her waist, the other to her side. The scales that graced her hips continued downward, to where the top of what would normally be thighs began. For a small window of just a few inches, her body simply looked like that of a girl whose thighs touched, before merging into her long, sienna tail, which she had lifted the last several feet of as she stood to accentuate the double-helix patterning along her dorsal side. Just between her hips, in a small dip where her almost-thighs met, was her soft, surprisingly-human anatomy. She was… magnificent. Leaf couldn’t help but blush, but mostly she was just in awe; the woman before her looked like a serpentine goddess.

As Leaf stood, her towel fell to her side and gently floated on the surface of the water. Just as it had been Leaf’s first full view of… well, _any_ nude liminal, it was Sierra’s first of any naked human as well. Leaf’s breasts were relatively modest, her waist less curved than those of her homestay by a fair margin. Sierra’s eyes lingered curiously at the difference in what lie between their hips. She had certainly never seen one of _those_ in person either, regardless of gender. She knew other serpentines had, though; affairs with human men were how her species reproduced after all. Not meaning to stare and make Leaf uncomfortable, she lifted her eyes until they met each other’s.

“You look beautiful,” Sierra said with a warm smile. Leaf, who had been consistently red in the face for the last couple minutes, muttered quietly. “Y..you too.”

Though Leaf was still shy and hesitant about her body, she _did_ feel more comfortable around Sierra, and she made sure to tell her how thankful she was. Eventually, she had to explain the concept of “HRT” to her homestay.

“You mean you can just replace the hormones in your body with the proper ones?” Sierra said, wide-eyed. “Wow… human science must _really_ be something.”

* * *

As the sun was setting, Leaf sighed. She had been reading on the back deck for an hour or so but knew she would have to give up her spot and head indoors soon. As she began to stretch her arms, the glass door slid open. In its path was Sierra.  
“Hey Leaf, your phone’s going off. Looks like it’s Thomson.”

Leaf scrambled inside and grabbed her cell phone off the kitchen counter, answering it. It was indeed Thomson, who was calling for at least two reasons.

“Miss Miller, sorry I’m calling a little late in the day. Thank you for answering.”   
“Of course, it’s no trouble. What can I do for you, Ms. Thomson?”

“How do you like the bathhouse?” her voice replied, seeming not to have heard Leaf at all.  
Leaf smiled, leaning against the counter. “It’s absolutely lovely, Sierra and I were just enjoying it for the first time earlier today. I can’t thank you enough for it, really.”

On the other end of the phone, Thomson sounded hurried. “That’s good, that’s good. Miss Miller, I was hoping I could ask you a favor, and I hope you’ll pardon my forwardness.”

Leaf tilted her head. “Uh, yeah, sure! I probably owe you, I guess.”

“Would you be willing to host another homestay for the program? I understand this is a little unorthodox but a situation came up and I thought you would be perfect for her.”

 _Hmm… I guess I still have the loft available…_ “Yeah, I think that should be okay. We’ve still got room.”

She heard Thomson breathe a sigh of relief. “Thank god. You’re a lifesaver. She was _supposed_ to be doing her homestay somewhere in Maine, but the Northeast Division didn’t have her on record and she had already left her nation and been processed. It’s really a whole mess so, again, I really appreciate it so much.”

“It’s really no problem,” Leaf reiterated. “Seriously, one more person around the house can’t be too bad, and I’ll make sure Sierra keeps herself in check too.” She glanced with a smirk at the echidna, who held a hand to her chest in fake shock. “When will she be arriving?”

There was a short pause on the other end of the phone. “... Ms. Thomson? Are you there?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. That would be the tricky part. Remember how I said it was a mess because she’d already been processed?”

As she spoke, Leaf and Sierra became startled by the sound of someone sliding open the door to the back deck.

“H..hello? Sorry…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's new girl time! I wanted a little time to establish the main two in the house, but we've finally got more on their way.


	7. Enter Empusa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“She’s too timid and sweet. It’s annoying. Girls like that don’t get anywhere.”_  
>   
>  The new girl makes the best first impression she can. Sierra doesn't particularly care for it.

Through the other end of the phone the voice of Thomson could still be heard, though not well enough to make out any of her words. Leaf was distracted by the new guest. From a few feet away, Sierra raised an eyebrow and hummed in a fascinated manner. 

  
_(Art of Corin by[@namrii_](https://twitter.com/namrii_) on twitter)_

The girl before them was about half a foot shorter, with porcelain-white skin. Her hair, cut slightly longer than a bob, was a pastel pink that stood out even before Leaf noticed the two antennae that poked through near the top of her forehead. As she clasped her hands together apologetically, the girls saw that her jointed arms— as well as her legs, it seemed— began a smooth transition from ghostly pale to a beautiful pink by the time they reached her extremities. What looked to be a flowing robe at first glance turned out to be billowing extensions around her hips and limbs, bearing the same white-to-pink gradient. Her _actual_ outfit appeared to be a thin, draping white shirt along with a loose skirt cut at an angle above the knee. Consistency seemed quite important to her.

“I’m sorry to interrupt… nobody answered the front door, so…”

As the insectoid girl in the doorway spoke again, it snapped Leaf back into reality. Ending the call without any further words to her coordinator, Leaf immediately went into host mode.  
“No, not at all, I’m sorry. I was on the back deck and then got a phone call, so I was a little distracted. You’re the new homestay?”

Before she could respond, Sierra cut in. “I was inside most of the time and _I_ didn’t hear anything, honestly.” She eyed the girl before them warily. “Orchid mantis, huh?”

The girl gave an apologetic bow to Sierra. “I’m so sorry, I may have been too quiet, this is very new for me,” she chittered. As she stood upright once more, they noticed her eyes— no pupils or sclera, just two compound eyes as pink as her hair.

_Orchid mantis… that makes sense,_ Leaf thought. _She’s absolutely beautiful.  
_“It’s no trouble, really,” she began with a smile. “It’s nice to have you. My name’s Leaf, I’ll be your host.” She bowed in return, presuming it to be appropriate.

“And I’m Sierra.” The echidna moved closer, a cool expression on her face, and held out her hand.

The mantid girl looked down to the ground shyly, her pale face turning as pink as her limbs. “My name is Corin,” she said, almost sounding as though she was giving a confession. After a few seconds of awkwardly holding her hand before her, Sierra withdrew it.   
“Okay then, never mind,” she mumbled.

Leaf shrugged at her, then turned her attention back to their guest. “Anyway, welcome Corin! Please, let me show you around.”  
A smile crossed Corin’s lips, revealing tiny sharp teeth. “Yes! Thank you Makcik Leaf, Sierra.”

The both of them had no clue what ‘mockcheek’ meant, but they assumed it was a term of endearment. After all, Corin seemed incredibly well-mannered.

It was getting dark, so they would have to save the tour of the property itself until tomorrow. In the meantime, Leaf gave Corin the basic overview of the interior, showed her to the loft she would be using as her sleep quarters, and inquired about any dietary restrictions. As it turned out, both of her homestays were carnivores, so it looked like they would be preparing a lot of meat-heavy meals at the lakehouse. Leaf made a mental note to take a grocery trip soon.

“You’ve probably had a long day, right? Feel free to use the new bathhouse if you need to relax this evening. I’ll get some towels set up for you.”

* * *

The night remained fairly low-key; as Corin was in the bath Leaf and Sierra stood in the kitchen discussing their new roommate.

“Did you see how she ignored my handshake, though? Kind of rude, don’t you think?”  
Leaf replied without looking up. She was busy making herself a sandwich; playing host made her hungry.  
“I’m sure it’s just a cultural thing. I mean she also called me ‘makcik’, whatever that is, so that’s something, right?”

Sierra leaned against the counter with her arms crossed. “I suppose so. Just don’t let her eat you up,” she quipped. “Y’know they say mantises are cannibals.”  
Leaf paused to shoot a look over her shoulder.

“Oh? And what do they say about _vipers?”  
_Sierra looked to the ceiling as she rolled her eyes. “... Fair point.”

“We both know better than to criticize what we don’t know much about, right? She seems lovely, and I’m sure she’ll fit in great.”

Looking back to Leaf, whose back was still to her, Sierra smirked. _“Lovely,_ huh? Pretty strong word… You think she’s cute, don’t you?”

Having finished, Leaf turned around and took a bite, raising an eyebrow at the teasing echidna. “I mean, she _is_ cute. That doesn’t mean anything, it’s just an obvious fact. You and I both saw her. She’s a cutie.”

In response, Sierra just scoffed. “Alright kid, I see you…”

Swallowing another bite, Leaf couldn’t help but feel a smile cross her face. “Miss Sierra, are you… _jealous?”_

It seemed that was all it took; nearly immediately Sierra’s slitlike pupils constricted and she bared her fangs. _“Absolutely not!”_ she hissed. “Have you seen her? I could eat her for lunch!” Leaf didn’t know the logistics of whether serpentines could unhinge their jaws and eat another liminal whole, but she couldn’t help but let the image cross her mind regardless. It was grotesque.

“Besides, she’s too timid and sweet. It’s annoying. Girls like that don’t get anywhere.” 

Leaf was still smiling; she knew better than to say it aloud, but Sierra was one-hundred percent _pouting_ about the idea that her host found the new girl adorable. _Not like she even knows my type,_ she giggled to herself. _Or if Corin is even interested in girls at all. I mean, she_ does _seem pretty sheltered…_

The two moved to the living area shortly before their new guest finished. As Corin walked into the main cabin, a white towel around her body, Leaf waved happily to her. Meanwhile, Sierra just cast a glance.  
“Hi Corin! How’d you like the bath?”

The mantid beamed, showing a gracious smile full of minuscule sharp teeth. 

“It was _so_ wonderful, thank you! I haven’t felt this relaxed since leaving my home!” She stood on the tips of her feet and stretched, and in that moment Leaf suddenly realized— though she wasn’t sure _how_ she missed it— that Corin had a second set of arms just above the first. In place of its hands were a pair of toothed claws that one would expect from a praying mantis, with the same pink gradient as the rest of her extremities. For a second, Leaf wondered whether she was that unperceptive or if the girl had just been hesitant to show them as openly.

As her body stretched out like a six-pointed star, Corin squeaked a content moan as Leaf looked away awkwardly. The mantid _was_ cute, there was no denying it regardless of what Sierra said. Her insectoid limbs almost looked like shimmering, milky armor, cutting off at her upper arms and thighs—and it was exactly this transition that had Leaf blushing. The towel ended briefly down her thighs, leaving a small gap of soft, delicate flesh before transitioning into her exoskeleton. _It… looks like a schoolgirl uniform,_ Leaf thought. _Kill me._ As she struggled to keep her mind clean, Corin crossed the room to the couch where the girls had settled in and sat daintily beside Leaf.

“Thank you again so much for having me, Miss Leaf. If there’s any way I can be of service during my time here, please let me know,” she offered. “The culture is a little new to me, but I’ll be trying my best!” Sitting upright and proper, she gave a genuine smile. Sierra, unable to hide her amusement, audibly stifled a chuckle.

Somewhat less distracted by her body, Leaf couldn’t help but be entertained by the girl’s politeness. _Her parents must have raised her pretty delicately,_ she thought, before responding. “Of course Corin, I’m happy to help. I’ve got to make a grocery trip soon, so maybe you can come with and learn a few things then!”

Corin clasped her hands together and smiled. “I’m so excited! The Empusa state is not particularly large, the Orchid clan even less so, so the idea of exploring new cultures and environments is very exciting to me!”

Leaf blinked. The home details were a lot to take in at once.   
“Uhh, ‘Empusa’? What’s that?” she questioned.   
Sierra took the liberty of answering for her.

“Mantis liminals. It’s the more official name. Like how I’m a serpentine who’s similar to a viper, but the name our tribe uses is the echidna.” On Leaf’s other side, Corin nodded happily.  
“Encik Sierra is right! Very good,” she cheered.

"Fair enough… okay, next question,” Leaf began, holding a finger up as though she were calculating. “What is ‘encik’? And… was it matchik?”

Corin held her claws before her face in embarrassment for a moment. “Oh, I’m so sorry! It’s a habit, I’m not very familiar with American titles. Makcik is like ‘aunty’! And encik is ‘mister’.” She seemed very excited to convey this information. Sierra was not as excited to receive it.

“Hey, what the hell?! _Mister?!_ I’m a _girl,_ little miss mantis!” She barked, asserting her point by leaning across Leaf, who immediately lifted an arm to keep them apart. Immediately, Corin shrank back, concealing her face behind her claws once more.

“I’m so sorry, I was uncertain!” she mewled. “It was wrong of me to assume! I apologize… Miss Sierra? Is that right?”

Lightly pushing Sierra away from the new girl so that she was upright once more (and trying her best to ignore that the echidna's breasts were pressed up against her arm as she shouted), Leaf turned to her.

“Chill. It was an honest mistake. I know it sucks though, I really do.” She gave Sierra a soft and knowing glance, resting a hand on her shoulder. She _definitely_ knew all too well.

Sierra settled back, grumbling slightly under her breath. “It’s whatever. Don’t worry about it.”

Leaf took a moment to soothe Corin, assuring her that Sierra was for the most part all hiss and no bite. Thanking her host, Corin asked another question, one that she seemed antsy about.

“Do you think we can go into the city sometime? I’ve never really been in urban environments, other than to fly in for the program.”

Sierra’s mood immediately shifted at the thought, and before Leaf could say anything she chimed in, though she was mostly addressing her host.  
“Oh _hell_ yeah, let’s do it. Are there any clubs or bars that liminals can get into?”

Their host pondered the question. “I mean, I don’t see why there _wouldn’t_ be… it would probably be uncommon out here, but downtown there’s sure to be at least a couple places that accommodate, since more liminals live in the city. Sure, we can go.”

The girls on either side of her cheered. Sierra seemed at least somewhat familiar with city life; it wasn’t a stretch for Leaf to presume that her last host was in a less rural environment. But for someone like Corin, it would be a brand new experience.

“But, you both have to go grocery shopping with me first. That’s the tradeoff. Do we have a deal?” It was an easy agreement, but Leaf couldn’t help but feel a bit like she was telling kids to clean their rooms for a reward. 

Either way, she was excited: Leaf never exactly had money to travel, but she figured introducing strangers to her world would scratch a similar itch. She just had one more thing she needed to discuss.

* * *

As Sierra was curling up on her bed for the night, she heard a knock from across the room. She looked up to find Leaf was standing in the doorway.

“Well hello, stranger,” the serpent girl cooed. She stretched her arms above her head; as her shirt rose up Leaf couldn’t help but admire the firm stomach once again. “What brings you here?”

Leaf shut the door quietly behind herself and leaned against the frame. She shook her thoughts away from the girl’s figure. No time for fawning; she needed to be forward.

“I need you to be nicer to Corin,” she asserted. “You’ve been snippy with her all day. Even _before_ she made that mistake.”

Sierra’s eyes darted to the side. She didn’t look happy in the least to be confronted. “I wasn’t _that_ bad, alright?” Before she had finished the sentence, Leaf cut her off.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I like your personality, and I’m not telling you not to be… _you,_ I just need you to be nice. You’re kind to me. I need you to try and be that way with other guests as well. You’re both going to be living with each other, and I want us all to have a nice time. Just please, Sierra. For me.”

After about five seconds, Sierra took a long, deep breath.   
“You’re right,” she confessed understandingly.   
Leaf didn’t expect it to go this well. “Wait, really?”

Nodding, Sierra continued. “It’s just baggage. I’ll try to be better. And… I’ll apologize to her. Cool?”  
“Very,” Leaf quietly replied with a gentle smile. 

“Now get the hell out of my room before I drag you right into this bed with me,” Sierra wiggled her eyebrows. 

Leaf laughed. “Goodnight, Sierra. And thanks. I’ll take y’all out this weekend, promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An updated floorplan of the cabin including the new bathing area can be found [here](https://i.imgur.com/3oVid6y.png)!


	8. Meeting Humans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _As the girl quietly scanned their items, she occasionally looked up to steal glances at the liminal girls. On the third time she was met with deep-red viper eyes in return, causing her to look down and blush as she hurriedly scanned the rest._  
>   
>  Before they go downtown for the day, Sierra and Corin agree to help Leaf run some errands. It's a small community, though, so meeting new people could go either way...

“Well, I did not think this out at all.”

The three housemates stared at the car, a relatively small four-door sedan. Looking from the back seat to her twenty-foot homestay, Leaf couldn’t help but feel immense embarrassment. “I could call us a rideshare, but I don’t know how long it’ll take one to get out here,” she thought aloud. “And it’d be really expensive…” She had no idea what else to offer.

“It’s fine,” Sierra said dryly. “I can make do if I coil the right way I’m sure.” She saw a look on Leaf’s face that clearly said _you don’t have to do that,_ so she continued to insist: “Seriously. I’m not giving up my first big outing for a little bit of cramped space. I’ll have plenty of time to stretch the rest of the day. Let’s go.”

With a resigned sigh, Leaf turned to Corin and waved toward the car. “Okay then, let’s go.” After opening one of the back doors for Sierra, she held her hands together apologetically. “I absolutely promise I will make it up to you. Really.”

It was a little bit of a tight fit, but it could have been worse: the hardest part turned out to be the ability to sit fully upright in the small car, given the thickness of her lower half. Despite feeling slightly too tall, she curled her body across the rest of the back seat and floorboard, managing better than Leaf expected.

“I’ll check around this week and see if I can trade in for a truck or an SUV or something on the cheap, so we can go out more easily from now on,” Leaf promised as they headed down the long driveway. Their plan for the day was simple, and the liminals were more than happy to compromise: pick up groceries, drop them off back at the cabin, and then spend the rest of the day in the city. Seeing that Corin was filled with nervous excitement, Leaf figured she should probably remind them of some basics on the day ahead.

“I don’t think there will be any other liminals out here, but just a reminder that when we’re in Terminus we’ll be around a _lot_ of others, human and liminal alike. If someone approaches you or pisses you off, please don’t let it get to you. You know the laws with the exchange bill.”

Her statement was mostly for Sierra’s benefit— Leaf loved her protective nature, but if another human got attacked it would be the end of her stay. For Corin, it basically meant to stay close: the girl was still a bit skittish, and while in _theory_ no human could mess with her either, there was no guarantee that authorities would handle a situation like that with neutrality.

Lake Callery wasn’t close to anything in particular. There was one gas-station-slash-convenience-store in the area, one grocery store, and so on. Most people in town were amiable as well; despite stereotypes one might assume for the region it wasn’t “redneck country,” just a quiet rural ecosystem near the lake. It was peaceful, and Leaf liked it that way. It was her own little world.

Not even five minutes later, the girls spilled out of the Camry and into the parking lot of a large brick building with a relatively old brown roof, adorned with a lit red sign that displayed the name in a faded white: FOOD EAGLE. In the space next to the words was a large caricature of a bald eagle, smiling happily and giving a winged thumbs-up.

As they walked in, Corin looked around with a fascinated curiosity. Bars of incandescent light lined the ceiling, casting a warm glow across the exterior. Rows and rows of shelving filled the exterior, loaded with foods and household items.At the front were a few check-out stations, which she had never seen before. _So puzzling!_ At one of them, a girl no older than sixteen or seventeen looked up from the magazine she was reading to greet the customers.

“Hi, welcome to Food Eagle—” she began, then stopped with a small gasp. She had seen the blonde girl come in a few times to shop, though she wasn’t sure of her name… but this time she was accompanied by a tough-looking reptilian and a shy-looking girl with vivid pink insectoid features. For a half-second, Leaf tensed up, worried about her reaction, but the girl smiled and nodded. She was more excited than anything else. She had never seen liminals before, not in person.

Leaf smiled and waved as they grabbed a shopping cart and headed down an aisle. There wasn’t too much that they needed to buy: given her guests’ status as carnivores, they mostly just needed eggs and meat. A _lot_ of meat. They made a few quick sweeps so Leaf could grab the basics for herself first: bread, veggies, yogurt, and of course some frozen food for when she just couldn’t be bothered. As she grabbed the last few items Sierra hung noticeably back, while Corin looked over all the labels like a curious child.

“How do you know what to pick? There’s so many!” she observed, looking at the half-dozen types of shredded cheese and flavors of yogurt before her. Leaf laughed to herself. 

“You just kinda end up figuring out what you like, I guess,” she answered, “either from flavors you’re already familiar with, or things that just sound good.” Leaf looked over her shoulder and saw Sierra backed against the shelf behind them, her arms crossed. “Hey, you okay?”

“Cold-blooded. Ready to go,” she said simply, mild irritation in her voice. Leaf immediately shifted into apology mode and hurriedly grabbed two eighteen-count cartons of eggs. “Sorry, I forgot! Let’s head to the back and we’re done.” She motioned the two to follow her to the deli area.

Behind the counter a tall, grey-haired man faced away from them, wrapping fresh cuts in butcher paper. Leaf felt uncomfortable asking for his attention, so she stood there for a moment until Sierra, practically drooling on the glass display, voiced her wonder.   
_“There’s so much,”_ she fawned. At this, the man behind the counter turned to face them.

“Hello hello!” he called, his expression shifting slightly as the three before him slowly registered in his brain. “Sorry, was a bit lost in my work. We don’t really get girls like you ‘round here, pardon my surprise! What can I getcha today?” He was tanned and wrinkled more than others his age, presumably from years of working in the sun (and perhaps smoking as well). From beneath bushy grey eyebrows, the kind with long errant hairs poking up and out at all angles, his green-grey eyes gave an air of someone who knew his craft.

 _Well, he’s jovial at least,_ Leaf thought, before responding. “I’m gonna be honest, I’m a little out of my element when it comes to this kind of thing, so I’m just gonna let the carnivores figure out what kind they want. Whatever they get, just throw two pounds of bacon on, please.” Then turning to the girls beside her, she added “Just, please don’t bleed my wallet dry. I can’t get reimbursed ‘til end-of-month.” As they decided, Leaf stepped down a side aisle to grab a few more items on a whim.

For the next five minutes or so, Sierra asked the butcher various questions about the selection, complimenting him all the while on how fresh and savory it all looked. Corin occasionally chimed in with questions of her own, and despite her overapologetic nature and lack of knowledge for the differences between the cuts, the man was patient and helpful. As Leaf returned, the three thanked him and headed to the registers to pay for everything.

As they crossed into the front of the store, Leaf saw the girl at the checkout trying to act casual.

“Did you find everything okay?” the clerk chimed, able to keep her cool with her rehearsed customer-service lines.

“We did, thank you,” Leaf responded as she began unloading everything onto the small conveyor belt. As the girl quietly scanned their items, she occasionally looked up to steal glances at the liminal girls. On the third time she was met with deep-red viper eyes in return, causing her to look down and blush as she hurriedly scanned the rest.

“First time?”

The girl paused her efforts and looked up nervously. She quietly nodded. “I’ve seen them on TV and magazines and stuff, but never in person.”

Sierra smirked. “Scared?”

“Mm,” the girl hummed as she shook her head. “Excited. Curious. You’re both so _pretty.”_ She looked back and forth between the two liminals in awe.

To Leaf’s surprise, the echidna smiled and chuckled to herself. “That’s very sweet, thank you. I'm Sierra,” she replied as Corin nodded and bowed in gratitude beside her. “And my name is Corin!”  
The cashier smiled like an excited schoolchild. “I’m Jessie. It’s so cool to meet you!”

 _Wow,_ Leaf thought, thoroughly impressed. _I have no idea what I was worried about. They’re doing wonderfully._

“Well, we should probably be going,” she began, “but it’s nice to meet you, Jessie! If you’d like I’m sure the girls wouldn’t mind talking some more with you another time.”

“Yes, absolutely! Thank you, Miss Jessie!” Corin smiled, bowing again. Sierra put a hand on the mantid’s shoulder.  
“Easy tiger,” she said with a grin, “don’t scare her off being too formal.” She looked up to Jessie. “If it’s alright with Leaf here, I’d say you’re more than welcome to come by the lakehouse and visit.”

Leaf blinked, surprised. _Who is this liminal and what the hell did she do with Sierra?_  
“Uh, yeah, that’s totally fine by me,” she agreed. “Any time, really.”

Jessie’s face lit up. “You really mean it? That’d be so awesome!”

After the girls exchanged numbers, Leaf thanked Jessie again for her help and promised to keep in touch. On the drive home, she glanced in the mirror at the echidna curled up across the backseat.

“So, what was that all about?” she teased.   
“Hm? What was what about?”

Leaf smiled. “You were super nice to her. I didn’t expect it. Not that I’m mad about it, of course.”  
Sierra looked up and saw Leaf smirking at her. In response she scoffed.

“She’s a kid. And she was nice enough, so why not,” she said dryly. When she looked to the mirror again, Leaf was still smiling.

“Well, _I_ think it was because she called you pretty,” she prodded. “But it’s not my business.”

Sierra rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say.”  
“Oh come on, don’t be like that.”

“But Miss Sierra _is_ pretty!” Corin said, looking over her seat. “And she helped me with the butcher because I didn’t know what to ask for and she knows about so many meats! I didn’t know that they were so different. Did you know that some people eat _alligators?”_

Sierra turned away, trying to hide the fact that she was red in the face from praise. Leaf nodded, “Yeah, they do! Not usually around here, though. And in other parts of the world there’s a lot of stuff humans eat that they don’t in America. Like scorpions or bears.” She glanced in the rearview mirror once more at Sierra, who was blatantly trying to keep a cool expression. _Guess she’s really trying after all,_ Leaf thought, smiling.


	9. Little Liminal, Big City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Law says you can’t do anything to us. So you might as well answer, I’m just asking a simple question. Do you? ”_  
>   
>  The girls begin their trip downtown! New sights, new foods, and new experiences... though not all are good.

After returning to the cabin to drop off everything, the girls piled into the car once more to head downtown. It was about a forty-minute drive, and so Leaf found herself apologizing more than once for Sierra’s cramped conditions.

“Oh, wait, I almost forgot!” She reached down to a small bag by her feet, pulling out a package of food. “This is for the two of you. I dunno if you’ll like it, but it’s definitely common enough to get almost anywhere.”

Corin took the package and read the label aloud. “‘Beef jerky’? Hum…” She opened the package and offered a strip to the girl behind her. A moment later Sierra moaned in delight.

“It’s so _good!_ So _tough!”_ Nearly instantly, she devoured the piece in her hand. Corin, who was savoring it bit by bit, happily munched as she thanked their host. She didn’t find it nearly as tough due to her razor-sharp teeth. Leaf smiled.

“I’m glad y’all like it! That’s just regular old jerky, but they’ve got a lot of different flavors too. Sweet & hot, teriyaki, jalapeño…” She trailed off after noticing Sierra salivating.  
“...Please don’t drool on the seats, though.”

For most of the ride Corin found herself staring out the window at the scenery around them, while Sierra tried her best to nap. A little under an hour later, they finally found themselves in the shopping district. The girls piled out of the car, luckily only attracting a small number of fascinated observers (mostly toward the long snake-woman unraveling out of the backseat). As they stood on the curb, Leaf filled them in on their options and gave them a few important reminders.

“Welcome to downtown Terminus, ladies! This is your trip so I don’t wanna tell you where to go but there’s clothing stores, record shops, bookstores and cafés, all sorts of stuff. You know how the program is though, so please stay near me okay?” She mostly meant this for the starry-eyed mantid who was looking around at all of the storefront displays and other people on the street. Turning to Sierra, she quietly added “Can I trust you to protect Corin today? I’m still not certain she won’t wander off, and she’s less likely to be able to defend herself if anything happens.”  
With a nod, Sierra slid up beside Corin. “Where to, kid? Clothes first?”

* * *

They found themselves first in a secondhand clothing store, _OLDnNEW,_ and as soon as she entered Sierra was intrigued. Behind the checkout counter was a fairly lanky individual with blue hair and several piercings adorning their ears and face. They smiled and waved to the group.

“Hey y’all, welcome to OLDnNEW, let me know if you need anything! My name’s Casey. If you’d like to try anything on, there’s dressing rooms in the back, Maria can help you there.”

Toward the back, Leaf saw a woman with long orange hair and glasses placing some heeled boots among the others on the shelf. _That must be Maria. She’s very pretty…_ Her pointed ears stood out as inhuman at first, but as she passed a clothing rack Leaf found there was a much more obvious tell: Maria had four legs, and was definitely a centaur. _I’ve never seen a centaur in real life,_ Leaf thought. As the woman turned and smiled at her, Leaf realized she was staring and blushed. After waving back she quickly rejoined her homestays, as if to say ‘ _it’s okay, I’m with them.’_

Sierra found herself looking through jackets and black tees fairly quickly, while Corin darted around between shirts and colorful dresses. Leaf stood off to the side, taking the role of explaining any pop culture references that the girls didn’t understand.

“This shirt is fucking _cool,_ I’m definitely getting it,” Sierra cheered, draping her pick over her arm. _Guns N' Roses… guess that tracks,_ Leaf smiled. _It’s definitely her aesthetic._

“Remind me to make you a mix of music I think you’d like,” she offered. “I’m sure I could totally nail down your tastes.” For a moment Sierra stopped flipping through the rack; before Leaf could realize that the echidna was overcome with a blushing smile, she heard their more excitable friend calling her name from behind.

“Miss Leaf, what does this one mean?”  
Leaf turned around, happy to help, and — _OH MY GOD._

Corin stood before her with a curious expression, holding up a long white tee with large black text that read: **PUBES ARE IN.**

Pink in the face, Leaf took the shirt and hung it back up on the rack. “It’s nothing, I’ll… I’ll explain later. It’s something you can’t wear in public.”

After about half an hour, the girls made their way to the register— Sierra with some tees and a frayed grey denim vest, and Corin with a sleeveless floral-patterned sundress. “This is gonna look great on you,” Casey chimed as they put Corin’s dress in a bag. “Good choice.”

As they got to Sierra’s items, Casey laughed to themself and then complimented her choice in the _Guns N' Roses_ shirt. Afraid to confess that she didn’t know anything about the band, she thanked them and after a few more minutes of chatting, the girls said goodbye.

“I’ll put them on your mix,” Leaf promised quietly as they left.

* * *

“I can’t believe how big everything is!”  
Corin looked around in awe at the buildings that dwarfed them. She had never seen something so magnificent. “This must be what little mantises feel like in a forest, it’s incredible.”

Sierra and Leaf laughed to themselves as they watched her. They knew she wasn’t a child; hell, she was more or less the same age as Leaf, but her excitability and sense of bright-eyed wonder was sometimes reminiscent of someone much younger.

Leaf was about to ask where they wanted to go next when she felt cool, hard fingers intertwine with her own. She turned to look at Corin, who was off in her own world, swinging their hands gently. 

“I—uh, Corin…” she stammered, getting a little flustered. Corin turned to look at her with a curious expression. “Is something wrong, Miss Leaf?”

“Um… you’re holding my hand…” she said quietly as she blushed, not trying to draw attention. It was too late for Sierra however, who immediately heard and turned a sharp glare to them.  
“Hey, _hey—!”  
_“Oh. Do girls not hold hands here?” Corin questioned, seeming to miss Sierra’s harsh gaze entirely. “Back home it’s actually very common for girls to hold hands with their friends when they walk together.”

Sierra backed off slightly at the use of the word ‘friends’, though she remained wary.

“Huh. Well, I guess _some_ girls do that here, but it’s not as common,” Leaf pondered aloud. “I guess maybe if they’re younger. Or dating, of course.” 

“Oh…” Corin grew quiet, though their hands were still linked. “Should we be dating then, Miss Leaf?”

 _“Ohhhkay,_ that’s enough!” Sierra called out, pulling their host closer to her. “Nobody’s dating anybody here. Not unless you’re trying to get kicked out of the country.” Leaf, a bright red, took her arms back from both parties, putting her hands in her pockets  
“Let’s uh, just keep going, shall we?...”

A few passersby had seen the trio’s almost-quarrel and looked on in amusement or confusion. A group of three rough-looking men outside the pharmacy a block ahead were whispering and laughing with one another. As the girls began to pass, Leaf heard two of them talking under their breath.

 _“Oh damnnnn… I’d love to get a piece of that tail.”  
_ _“Sick, dude, she’s a fucking snake!”  
_ _“Only from the waist down man, it doesn’t count.”_

In her peripheral, Leaf watched Sierra’s reaction and quietly counseled her: _“Ignore them, just keep moving. They’re just assholes.”_

_“Heyyy pretty mama, my friend wants to know if you got a pussy!”_

Leaf flinched. _...Oh fuck._

Before she could say anything, Sierra had already spun around and assumed her predatory stance, fangs bared. The men were unfazed; one of them, a man with a septum piercing, started laughing and hitting the arm of the guy next to him. “Damn, I bet she’s a fuckin’ _freak_ in bed!”

“Law says you can’t do anything to us,” the instigator, a man with a shaved head, asserted. “So you might as well answer, I’m just asking a simple question. Do you? ”

Behind the poised viper Corin had grabbed Leaf’s arm, backing behind her. The third man, who had tattoos decorating his hands and neck, noticed this and began taunting her next.

“Bug girllll why so shy? Bring those claws over here, I’ll show them some love,” he cooed with an unsettling undertone. “We just wanna have a little fun. There’s enough to leave all three of you satisfied.” He took a step toward her, causing her to recoil.

Sierra growled at the tattooed man, her pupils visibly constricting into narrow slits. “Don’t you _dare_ fucking touch her.”

“Sierra, don’t,” Leaf called from behind as she looked around nervously. “People are watching.” It was true: from several meters away, shoppers were eyeing the scene nervously, afraid to get any closer. One or two of them had their phones out, recording the imposing snake girl and those she protected. It was clear that none were going to intervene.

“Yeah _Sierra,”_ Shaved Head jeered, “we’re all friends here. And friends share things about each other, right? So what do you say?”

The three men leered at the girls before them, their grins disclosing lewd intentions. Sierra didn’t have a choice; intimidation didn’t work, but luckily enough of a crowd had gathered that it was unlikely they’d do anything openly harmful. As she lowered down to her typical ‘height’, her voice took on a lighter cadence. 

“Friends share with each other, hm? Let’s see...” she lilted. The men snickered and murmured between themselves gleefully; it didn’t matter if they couldn’t do anything publicly, they had successfully gotten to her at least, and it was nothing but fun for them at this point.

Sierra slithered closer to the trio, a melodic tone lacing her words as her expression shifted to something almost resembling pity. “You think you can _shame_ me, boys? Well, listen…” Her fanged mouth was less than two feet from the group by this point, and she made sure they noticed how sharp her teeth were.

“I do, you know…” she grinned, her voice like silk. “And it’s a _pretty_ little one, and _soft,_ mm… and my girls just _love_ the taste…” Sierra closed her eyes for a moment, letting out a hissing moan as her long tongue flicked. “They make me come harder than any fuckboy could dream of.”

Her eyes opened, gleaming with confidence as the smirk fell from her face.  
“So I _don’t have time_ for limp-dicked little boys like you, are we clear?” 

The men’s expressions had mostly fallen flat; Sierra backed up a few feet and called over her shoulder to the girls behind her.

“Leaf. Corin. Let’s go. We’re done here.” Before turning away fully, she thought to advise them once more. “Don’t waste my time again.”

As Leaf hurried Corin away with her, Sierra trailed closely behind. The crowd slowly dispersed after they left, and the three of them, though somewhat rattled, continued down the block.

To settle their nerves, Leaf proposed they find a place to sit down and eat. At the first restaurant they came to, a small pizzeria on the corner, she peeked in to check if they had feasible seating for liminals. Fortunately for Sierra, a large rounded booth in the corner meant for bigger parties was unoccupied, allowing the three to fit without taking up any additional space or having to rearrange tables.

“Miss Leaf, what is pizza?” Corin stared at the beige paper menu on the table before her. Leaf was dumbstruck.

“Oh shit. I guess it makes sense that most restaurants would be unfamiliar to you, but I never considered that pizza would…” She pointed behind the counter, where a teenager was tossing dough in the air. “They take dough like that, stretch it out into a big circle, then they put some sauce on it, with cheese and whatever toppings you want, and bake it. It’s pretty simple, I guess.”

Corin nodded silently as Leaf pointed to the list of meats available as toppings. “You’ll probably want to pick from these.” Without saying anything, Sierra was equally thankful— she didn’t want to say it, but a lot of this was new for her too.

After giving everyone some time to decide, Leaf hopped up to the counter to give the host their order. She returned to the table to find Corin thanking Sierra for the incident outside.

“It’s not a big deal, they were just some random jackasses. People like that thrive on power. Once I calmed down I realized that.”

Leaf slid into the booth beside the two of them. “I was worried for a minute but once you calmed down it seemed like it went pretty okay. What did you say to them, anyway?”

In the middle of taking a sip of water, Sierra started coughing and choking. Leaf patted her back as she spent a minute recovering before answering.

“It was nothing. Promise.”  
Skeptical, Leaf raised an eyebrow. “Sierra… you didn’t threaten them, did you?”

“Absolutely not. I just made them feel small, that’s all.”

Leaf was a bit hesitant but she was willing to accept this. “As long as we’re all okay. Corin?” She was worried: the girl was already skittish around anger, and perverse catcallers were likely a new experience in her life.

Corin nodded. “It was a little scary but certainly exciting!” She learned forward and in a hushed voice addressed her protector. “Miss Sierra, can you teach me how to be strong like you?” She was still somewhat in awe thinking about it. With an amused smile, Sierra agreed.

“Sure thing, kid. But if I’m gonna teach you, none of this ‘Miss Sierra’ crap. It’s ‘Master Sierra’ now.” As Corin clasped her hands in excitement, Leaf cut the two of them off.

“Absolutely not. Corin, you do not have to do that. Just ‘Sierra’ is fine.”

Sierra shrugged in defeat. “You’re no fun.”

Around ten minutes later, the host dropped their food off: pesto chicken for Corin, barbecue pork for Sierra, and pineapple for Leaf.   
Sierra’s mouth instantly started watering, while Corin stared starry-eyed at the slice before her. It was larger than her head.  
_“Wow…”_

Perhaps hearing the overenthusiastic sounds coming from the table, they were approached in the middle of their meal by a man in a relatively tight-fit black buttondown. Leaf looked up from her meal; the man’s hands were furry, brown and clawed, and it turns out the rest of him was equally furry— his face was fairly canine in appearance, as were the pointed, triangular ears poking out from shaggy, deep brown hair that was styled in a short and messy ponytail. Leaf didn’t know the first thing about how liminals aged, but he appeared to be around the human equivalent of thirty-five.

“Hello ladies, did all of your food come out okay?”

Sierra and Leaf, mouths full of pizza, nodded enthusiastically. Corin was beaming. “Yes, it’s wonderful thank you!”

The kobold flashed a sharp-toothed smile. “Excellent, I’m so glad to hear that. My name is Ruey, I’m the owner of this little shop, so if there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to let me know! We don’t get too many liminals as guests, and your satisfaction is of the utmost importance to me.”

 _He’s certainly charming,_ Leaf thought to herself. She didn’t know much about kobolds, other than they were some of the more prominent liminals shown in the media. Suddenly she remembered seeing some sort of J-pop group online comprised of a bunch of cute liminal girls, with a kobold girl being one of the leads. Leaf assumed it was because they were more palatable to a wide audience. Dog- and cat-girls were marketable even before humans knew they really existed. _And who doesn’t love big fluffy dogs,_ she noted. _Wait. Is that racist? I don’t actually know how this works._

It was getting dark, but the trio decided to hang around for a bit to unwind. Ruey certainly didn’t seem to mind; occasionally he would come by and chat with them, with the three liminals sharing stories and asking each other questions. Eventually they said their goodbyes, and Ruey encouraged them to come back the next time they were in the area. He was also knowledgeable enough to answer Leaf’s question of bars or clubs in the area that catered to liminals.

“Your best bet is probably gonna be _Talon_ in midtown. Pretty decent size, some liminals on-staff, should be completely welcoming. Have fun tonight, ladies!”

 _Talon it is,_ Leaf thought.


	10. Talon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“No one else is here, it’s just us tonight.”_  
>   
>  The girls make their way to the liminal nightclub Talon, the highlight of their trip.

Corin gasped at the neon lights before them. “It’s so _pretty,_ Miss Leaf!”

Above the doorway was a neon blue marquee bearing the name of the club in cursive with, of course, a golden neon talon at the end, which clenched and unclenched every few seconds. The girls joined the short queue out front, behind a few human/liminal pairs who were digging for their cards. As the line grew shorter, Leaf caught sight of the girl at the door before them: a werecat, or what most humans would inappropriately call a ‘catgirl’, with long brown hair and sand-colored paws. 

“IDs, please?” She smiled at the three of them. Leaf flashed her driver’s license nervously, while the two liminals with her dutifully showed their exchange program IDs that verified her as their host. After cross-checking the names and verifying ages, the girl nodded. 

“Awesome, have a great night ladies!”

The inside of Talon wasn’t too busy just yet, but there were still a fair number of people, human and liminal alike. A large open dance floor with lighting occupied the majority of the room, with ottomans and sofas scattered across the wall. On the left side was a long rectangular bar lined by stools, with a mountain of liquor shelved behind it.

“First stop!” Sierra called, already heading over. The others followed her, moving seats slightly to the side to accommodate her tail (which she tried to wrap around her own seat, in an effort to minimize the space she took up). After a few minutes, a slim girl in a crop-top with various colorful mushrooms in her hair sauntered up to them.

“Hey cuties, what can I get you?”   
Sierra took the lead. “Whiskey on the rocks, please.”  
Leaf thought for a second before answering. “I’ll have a vodka cran. And…” she leaned forward past Sierra to check on Corin.  
“Do you know what you want?”  
Sheepishly, Corin admitted: “I don’t know what anything is.”

Sierra laughed as a blank look crossed Leaf’s face. She turned back to the bartender.   
“And we’ll figure out her in a minute.”

“Sure thing,” the colorful girl replied with a smile. “And you babe?” She turned to a blonde patron a few stools away.

“A lady washington, please.”

As the bartender left, Sierra glanced over to the girl near them who ordered. As two deep grey arms were occupied letting her hair down from a ponytail, two others tapped away idly on a cell phone. Her skin was fair with yellow undertones, her eyes similar to Corin’s but in gold.

“Hey, Corin… do mantises and bees get along well?”

Corin thought to herself for a moment. “Uhm, I suppose so, other than hornets. Why?”  
The echidna nudged her and nodded her head a few seats down past Leaf.

“All I’m saying is, let your hair down a little and you might be lucky enough to get pollinated tonight.”

Corin’s face grew pink as she looked into her lap. From Sierra’s other side, Leaf scolded lightly. 

“Sierra, what are you telling her…?”  
“Nothing, promise! Just telling her to have fun.” She spun back to face Corin. “What do you want to drink, kid? What flavors do you like?”

After a minute of back-and-forth, the mushroom girl returned. “Vodka cran, whiskey, annnd I’ll be right back with your lady washington, ‘kay babe?” Then, to Corin, “Have we decided?”

“She’s going to try a lady washington too, please!” Sierra announced, a hand on the mantid’s back. As Corin blushed once more, the honeybee a few seats down glanced up from her phone.

“I didn’t actually know mushroom girls were a thing,” Leaf mused, watching the colorful girl shimmying back and forth around the bar. Her crop top had a large gold talon on the front, and with “sink your claws in” across the back in bold white lettering. Around her hips was a short layered skirt that resembled bracket fungi, as equally colorful as the shrooms sprouting from her hair.

“She’s a matango,” Sierra noted. “They’re like a less common form of dryads. Depending on the kind, their spores can be irritants or even hallucinogenic. I’d assume she’s fine though, if she’s cleared to work around open drinks and in an enclosed space.”

Leaf sipped her drink with a thoughtful look on her face. “I guess there’s a _lot_ I don’t know, huh. I’m thankful I have y’all to help me too.”

After a moment the matango returned with two champagne flutes of a yellow-orange liquid. Corin eyed the drink suspiciously, then took a sip, her eyes widening in surprise.

“It’s so sweet!” She said in awe, looking down at the cocktail. As Sierra grinned and raised her tumbler, Leaf leaned in. “Is that your first alcoholic drink, Corin?”

She shook her head, but then paused. “Well, in a way. My mother allowed me to try wine as a child, but I didn’t enjoy it.”

“Huh,” Leaf thought aloud, “I guess that’s not uncommon in both our cultures, then.”

The girls chatted amongst themselves, feeling more loose than they had all day. As they each moved on to their second drink, Leaf’s maternal instinct kicked in for their more inexperienced friend.

“Sierra, those aren’t too strong for her, are they?”  
Looking to Corin in thought, Sierra pondered it for a moment. At least she was nursing the second one. Turning back to her host, she reached her conclusion.

“Not strong enough! _Miss Matango, three shots of fireball!”  
_From behind the bar, the colorful myconid smiled, holding up three fingers to affirm the order.

Leaf grabbed the scaled arm of the girl beside her. “What are you doing?” she whined. No part of her wanted to do shots this early.

“You’re right,” Sierra nodded, then raised her voice. “Make that four shots! One for the lovely honeybee here!”

As the bartender dropped off the small shotglasses of orange amber, she winked at Sierra.

“It’s Volva, by the way.”

Sierra, shot already in hand, took pause. “I’m sorry, it’s _what now?_ Okay, now I really need this. C’mon girls, on three. One, two…”

Volva giggled as the girls threw their drinks back. Immediately, Leaf coughed while Corin made disgusted noises. _“Eugh, why is it spicy?!”_

The honeybee a few seats away downed the shot, immediately chasing it with a gulp from her cocktail. She addressed Sierra as the other girls tried their best to recover.

“Not really my thing, but I’m not one to turn down a shot,” she testified in a youthful voice. “So thanks, stranger. I’m Mella.”

Sierra introduced herself and her friends, giving extra emphasis to the timid Corin. Mella was a regular who, judging by the looks she received from some male patrons, had no difficulty in bringing partners home for the night when she desired. It wasn’t until later in the evening that Sierra would wonder if that same allure had convinced her to buy the girl a shot.

With each of them a few drinks deep, Sierra offered a hand out to her host. “Leaf, dance with me!”

The lone human of the group felt her face grow warm. “I’mmmm… not much of a dancer, really,” she disclosed. This was the kind way of phrasing it; the less kind way would be to say that she was terrified. Before she could enforce her refusal, a soft scaled palm had taken her own.

“I’ll go easy on you, don’t worry.”

Sierra had a strangely hypnotic presence as she danced: though she stayed near the edge of the floor due to her size, she radiated confidence, her powerful hips swirling and swaying to the beat. Leaf, perhaps because she was fairly drunk, found herself unable to turn away. She tried her best to move along with the serpent, though she felt a little silly doing so as her dancing experience was essentially nonexistent (unless you counted in her car or her room). She really hoped nobody else was paying attention.

 _“You’re doing great, baby, good,”_ Sierra guided in a soothing tone despite the volume of the music. Her red eyes were piercing. _“No one else is here, it’s just us tonight.”_

 _‘Baby’?_ Leaf’s heart thumped. _What happened to ‘kid’? God… she’s…_

A minute or so later the song segued into something that Sierra found utterly undanceable, and she took Leaf’s hand. “Come on,” she called over the music, “let’s go get another drink!”

The two returned to the bar, which in their absence had become much more crowded. Another bartender, this one human, had joined to help with the increase in customers, so it took a minute for Sierra to flag the matango girl down.

“Sierra, I really don’t think I should have more, I gotta drive us back tonight,” Leaf pleaded softly. Sierra rubbed her back gently as she spoke into her ear. “Last one, promise. And then we can get you water and just talk til you sober up, yeah?” Leaf conceded. If she ordered something light, she’d be okay.

“Vulva!... ..Volvo. Volva!” Sierra stumbled. “I’m sorry, I swear I’m not this bad sober.”   
Volva was absolutely used to this from customers by this point, so she smiled and thought nothing of it. “What can I getcha, babes?”  
Sierra raised two clawed fingers. “Two blushing geishas and a water, please.”  
“Might have to improvise a little on them, but I’m sure I can work it out,” Volva replied before digging through bottles on the shelf.

“I hope Corin’s okay,” Leaf wondered. Sierra had already begun scanning for her. “Leave it to the hunter,” she smirked, knowing it wouldn’t take her long.  
As Sierra rose slightly, peering through the crowd, Volva dropped their drinks off. “Two blushing geishas!” Leaf thanked her for the both of them.

“Oh, I found her,” Sierra concluded with a grin. The mantis was on the floor, dancing with Mella. _Good for her for loosening up,_ she thought, turning back and picking up her glass. “Cheers?”

Leaf raised hers in return. It was a vivid pink, with dark blueberries floating among the ice.  
“Cheers. What’s in this, anyway?”  
Sierra shrugged. “I don’t remember everything, but I think pomegranate and rose liqueur? Something like that. It’s pretty light though.” 

Nodding, Leaf tried to down it fairly quickly so she could move on to her water. It was sweet, and definitely floral. _Maybe I could learn to make this and the one Corin liked at home,_ she thought. As Sierra savored her own, Leaf checked her phone to search for the recipes for later.

The first result that popped up described the drink as a “sexy pink cocktail,” while another described it as “perfect for Valentine’s Day or just a night alone with the one you love”. Leaf’s stomach flipped. _Is that why she ordered this?_ She thought back to their dance. 

_‘It’s just us tonight, baby’.  
_ Then she remembered their kiss in the moonlight.  
_Is she sending me signals? Or… I’m just drunk. It’ll make more sense tomorrow for sure._

“Hey, kid, you okay?”

She looked up to see Sierra’s red eyes looking down at her own.  
“And why are you blushing?”

Quickly, perhaps _too_ quickly, Leaf shook her head. “It’s nothing. Just, drunk, y’know…” She prayed that her eyes wouldn’t betray her.

“Well let’s work on sobering you up,” Sierra replied kindly. “Come on, we’ll find a couch and just kick back for a bit.”

The two found an open place to sit where they could keep an eye on Corin and settled in.  
“It’s cute, actually,” Leaf giggled. “She’s doing pretty well for herself.” They watched as the two girls twirled around and danced with one another.  
“She totally is,” Sierra agreed, “all thanks to _Master Sierra!”_

Leaf rolled her eyes, playfully kicking at the echidna beside her. “Don’t even start.”  
“Hey, watch the tail!” Sierra gasped with mock offense. “I’m _sensitive,_ you know!”  
“You’re scaled, you’ll be fine.”  
“Yeah, well… what about the _emotional_ pain, huh?”

Together the two of them laughed as Sierra’s tail flailed playfully. A bit later, she felt Leaf’s head resting gently on her shoulder. 

“I’m gonna take a lil nap, I think,” she muttered quietly as she closed her eyes. “Wanna be awake enough to drive later…”

The echidna affectionately rubbed Leaf’s head and smiled. “Go for it. I’ll keep watch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some quick fun with names:
> 
> Most of the recurring characters that enter the story are named for a specific reason. Corin, for example, is named after the scientific name of the orchid mantis _(Hymenopus coronatus)_. Volva is named after the straw mushroom, whose scientific name is _Volvariella volvacea_. The fact that her name sounds awkwardly sexual is just a happy coincidence that everyone she meets has to deal with.
> 
> Leaf and Sierra were picked solely because I liked them (though the uniqueness of Leaf's foreshadows that it's not her birth name).


	11. Sudden Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The tequila had gone straight to Sierra’s libido, and she felt a warmth between her hips. Her tail tensed slightly, coiling near her. The girl was a tease._  
>   
>  The girls finish out their night at Talon. Sierra finds herself chasing a high.

Sierra didn’t mind the rest of her evening being a little low-key. It had been a long day, and she was happy to be spending time with her host either way. Even more, she liked feeling like a protector. 

Fortunately, Leaf didn’t miss much either, having dozed off fairly quickly thanks to Sierra’s claws gently scratching her scalp. Because she was passed out against her homestay, however, the pair attracted a rather scruffy kobold bouncer who checked in to make sure that the human was doing okay.

“She’s fine, just trying to sober up,” Sierra reassured, while eyeing his physique. “She’ll be our driver so she’s taking it easy the rest of the night.”

“Okay, just had to check. You have a nice night, now.” As the tall, muscular kobold walked away, she saw him motion something to the bartenders. A few minutes later Volva approached them, shimmying to the beat of the music.

“Here babe, she might want this when she wakes up,” she chimed, holding out a bottle of water. “Gotta keep hydrated!”  
Sierra took the bottle and thanked her, glancing back to the bar. “Don’t you have to be over there?”  
The matango grinned. “Nah, I’m taking a fifteen. You want a shot or something though? My treat.”

Mulling it over, Sierra nodded. “Yeah, I could do that. It’ll be a bit til she’s good to go anyway.”  
“Atta girl!” Volva cheered, her skirt shaking along with her. “I’ll be right back!”

Sierra watched as the skirt flipped up, granting a peek at the matango’s ass. Her eyes then trailed up past the slender exposed waist and to the text on the back of the bartender’s tight black shirt again. ‘Sink your claws in’. _Gods, wouldn’t I like to..._

Volva returned with two paper medicine cups of tequila, and Sierra did her best to down it without stirring the sleeping girl next to her. The two talked until the end of Volva’s break; apparently, she had gained permanent stay after her program and was now living in Terminus.

“If you come out here again, you gotta let me know, okay baby?” she winked. “Oh, and if I see your other friend by the bar I’ll tell her where to find you! Later!” Before dancing away, she gave Sierra’s arm a gentle squeeze.

The tequila had gone straight to Sierra’s libido; as she watched Volva sashaying off once more she felt a warmth between her hips. Her tail tensed slightly, coiling near her. The girl was a tease. _Shit…_

With varying degrees of success, Sierra tried over the next half-hour to distract herself with her phone. Eventually the thoughts left her mind, and she was able to relax again.

“Miss Sierra, hello!” a voice called over the music. Sierra looked up to see an out of breath Corin approaching, her white shirt damp from sweat and short pink hair disheveled. “Is Miss Leaf okay?”

Sierra nodded, too tipsy to care about being called ‘Miss Sierra’ again. “No worries, she’s just taking a nap.” She looked around either side of the girl curiously. “Where’s your friend?”

“Oh, she had to go,” Corin said, disappointment in her voice. “Some big guy approached us and wouldn’t leave us alone, so she stung him. The bouncer made him leave but she said she should probably head home too just in case.” 

Before Sierra could ask, Corin thought to answer her question. “It was an orc, not a human. She’ll be okay, no one else had to get involved.”

“Okay, good,” Sierra advised. “We don’t need you getting caught up in a situation like that either.”

Slowly, Leaf started to stir. As she lifted her head, she blinked slowly and looked around. “Oh, hi Corin… How long was I asleep?”

Sierra thought to herself briefly. “Maybe an hour, hour and a half? I’m not really sure. But Volva brought you this,” she replied, handing her the perspiring bottle of water. “How’re you feeling?”

Leaf slowly tilted her head to opposing sides, as if to test her balance while sitting down. “Pretty okay, actually… I’ll let you know when I stand up.” She screwed off the top of the bottle and downed a third of it at once.

To ensure their driver’s recovery, Sierra sent Corin to the bar to see if they had snacks. A moment later, she returned with a plastic cup filled to the brim with goldfish crackers.

“I have never ever had goldfish this good,” Leaf mumbled, shoveling them into her mouth. Sierra laughed, her eyebrows raised.   
“I can tell. You look like a real classy lady right now, y’know that?”

Leaf pouted and hummed her displeasure at the jab, though the girls couldn’t take her seriously with her cheeks full of food.

With sustenance in Leaf’s system, the three sat and talked for a while longer before she stood up and stretched. “I think I’m good, honestly. I feel alright and the roads will be pretty empty, so it should be a nice quiet drive anyway.”

After having Leaf make two promises— that she would speak up if she felt differently while walking to the car, and that she would pull over and take a nap if needed while behind the wheel— Sierra agreed to let them begin the journey home. As they passed by the bar they waved to Volva, thanking her for everything, and made their way out to where they had parked.

Leaf’s only request for the drive was that Sierra help keep her awake, so the two talked softly between each other as Corin, exhausted from all her dancing, slept in the backseat. Leaf had been right: the ride home was quiet and uneventful, and before they knew it they were back in the gravel drive of the cabin at Lake Callery.

“Thanks Miss Leaf…” Corin said sleepily as she trudged into the house, rubbing her eyes. “I had a lot of fun.” She had to push herself to climb the stairs to the loft since her legs felt like jelly, but once there she was fast asleep within minutes.

After locking the front door, Leaf peered out of the hallway to investigate some clinking sounds coming from the kitchen. Sierra was rummaging through the cabinet. 

“What… are you doing?” she blinked confusedly.

Sierra held up a small tumbler in her hand, with a bottle of vodka wrapped in her tail. “Just a quick nightcap,” she said with a smile as she poured herself a double shot.

“Suit yourself… I’mma go collapse,” Leaf mumbled as she turned away. “Night, Sierra.”

Although Leaf couldn’t see it, the echidna raised her glass in response. “Sweet dreams, kid.”

* * *

Sierra lay on her bed, the lengthy black tank she used as a nightshirt draped over her upper half. Slowly, her tail coiled up beside her as she felt the two pre-bed shots begin to warm her up again. The short-skirted matango crossed her mind once more, and for a brief second Sierra felt the same flush of heat between her hips that she did earlier. Volva was slender, sexy and charming, and worst of all she _knew_ it. Girls like that were dangerous.

As she shifted gently in bed from the feeling, she thought of what it’d be like to flip up that skirt, to explore the girl’s body. To taste her. She imagined what Volva would look like gasping beneath her, pink in the face.

Then, without intending to, she thought of what Leaf would look like. Her deep, trusting eyes, scared of intimacy, but melting while held tightly… 

Sierra’s hips shifted yet again.

She would treat her delicately, protect her. Trace her soft, fair body with a forked tongue, taking in every scent of lust and desire that filled the air as she handled the thing between Leaf’s legs oh so lightly, so gentle, so feminine.

The heat flush returned in a stronger wave. Sierra felt herself slowly lifting her shirt up to her navel.

Leaf, the innocent doe, squirming beneath her as she let out a quiet whimper. Confessing the viper’s name as if it were the holiest of words.

A long, slow inhale as Sierra’s tail gradually began to unwind once more. The length of her middle finger brushed along soft, wet flesh and she shuddered through the exhale. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t stop.

Leaf’s beautiful, vestal body, pressing tightly against her own. Her gentle and thin fingers gliding across the echidna's rough skin, finding it just as beautiful as the smooth. Dipping between her hips…

A quiet moan escaped Sierra’s lips as she continued to rub gently. She was used to handling herself, but oh, how heavenly soft human fingers must feel sliding past, deep inside…

The end of her tail began to whip quietly through the air as her breath quickened. _Fuck…_ She hated that she could only do so much. In a breathy whisper, the name escaped her lips.

“...Leaf…”

Another minute of craving the blonde’s touch while attempting to use her own fingers and Sierra had enough; she couldn’t take it anymore. Ripping the pillow from beneath her head, she rolled over and folded it beneath her hips, grinding furiously. It was an awkward position for a serpentine, but she didn’t care. It was unbearable how much she lusted for her.

 _“Fuck… Leaf,”_ she whined as softly as possible, face pressed close to the mattress. _“I need it, please…”_ Sierra’s tail thrashed harder as her hips picked up speed. She was absolutely drowned in her fantasy. 

_“Fuck me baby, please, oh gods…”_ She thought of Leaf looking up at her with a lustful smirk as her fingers happily did all the work that Sierra’s couldn’t. _“Please… fuck… fu— ah…!”_

Despite most of her efforts to keep quiet, she knew she couldn’t anymore. Pressing a hand to her own mouth as her hips violently quivered, Sierra let out a muffled cry. Her tail coiled as tightly as possible while the warmth flushed through her body, and moments later she lay trembling on the mattress. 

As she tried to steady her breathing, she felt herself beginning to drift off. Curling up against the pillow, Sierra knew deep in the back of her mind that this would be a problem. For the time being, though, she could only think of Leaf. Her host. Her prey.


	12. Servant to Master

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Don’t sweat it kid, really. I just can be a little protective sometimes. That’s why I was wary of you at first. But you’re alright.”_  
>   
>  Leaf gets an important call from Ms. Thomson. Corin tries to be bold like Sierra.

The next day was a wash: all three of the girls slept in until nearly noon and spent the day nursing headaches and nausea while hardly leaving the couch. Leaf, well-versed enough in hangovers to assist her friends, encouraged them to shower or soak in the bath for a while. Having resigned themselves to doing nothing, they spent the evening watching _Aladdin,_ one of Leaf’s favorites that she was more than happy to introduce to the others. Sierra found herself cheering for the villain after he had turned into an enormous cobra, but otherwise it was a relatively quiet evening for them all.

Leaf awoke to a voicemail from Ms. Thomson the morning after their self-proclaimed “recovery day,” asking her to call back at her earliest convenience. _Glad it can wait,_ she thought to herself sleepily, and got up to start her morning routine. She’d at least cook breakfast before calling the coordinator back.

“Ah, Miss Miller, thank you for returning my call. I was wondering if you would be able to meet with me at some point today. If it’s too difficult to meet elsewhere, I can of course come to you.”  
Leaf shook her head, though she realized that Thomson couldn’t see her doing so. “That should be fine, I can step out for a bit at some point. The girls will be fine alone. Can I ask what it’s about?”

“It’s a bit complicated to dive into over the phone, I’m afraid.”  
“Oh… that’s okay,” Leaf said with a pause. She had a bad feeling already.

The two arranged to meet up for a late lunch to discuss the issue. As Leaf entered the diner she glanced around, skimming the patrons until seeing a head of short blonde hair in one of the far booths. She settled in across from Thomson, whose red glasses fortunately cast her in a more gentle manner than the usual dark shades she carried.

“Miss Miller, I’m going to be completely open with you.” She almost had an apologetic tone to her voice. Hesitantly, Leaf nodded.  
“O...kay, is something wrong?”

“Not particularly. Some applications in our program have run into a pitfall due to their rarer nature. As you can imagine, much like with Sierra, some of our host family applicants tend to… assume, before meeting their homestay. As a result, certain placements become more difficult.”  
Thomson looked troubled, and it wasn’t hard for Leaf to tell: her fingernails had begun to tap on the table nervously.  
“Despite being a relatively new coordinator, my willingness to pick up Sierra’s case means that more of these tricky cases end up on my desk. Sometimes it’s the placements themselves that may prove difficult, and sometimes…” She sighed in frustration.

Leaf reached to the middle of the table to stop Thomson’s hands from fidgeting. As they made eye contact, she spoke to her firmly.

“Two things. Number one, you said you’d be open with me. Do it. And number two,” she let go of the hand, “you can loosen up. I know you take your job seriously but I’m not going to think less of you for being a little less stiff.”

Thomson blinked at the girl through her bright red glasses. For a moment she almost looked nervous, like she’d be caught by a superior. Leaf couldn’t help but giggle at this.

“It’s okay. We’re just two girls getting lunch in a restaurant. Relax.”  
After a deep breath, Thomson shook her head. 

“Carson’s a jackass, you know.”  
Immediately, Leaf began laughing. “Abso _lutely,_ oh my god. I’m so glad I got you instead. He was absolutely unreadable.”  
Thomson rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well, he’s still at regional HQ at times so I still have to see him. Anyway, I probably don’t have to tell you why he tried to pass you to my caseload. Part of it was me getting thrown under the bus because I’m the ‘new girl’, but also, well…” She hated to bring it up, but it was important that the host understood the hand she had been dealt. After all, it was essentially just coincidence that Thomson happened to be there to take the case. To her surprise, Leaf just shrugged.

“Some people don’t understand, and I’ve mostly stopped trying to convince them,” she said plainly. “It happens. But if I can ask… is that why you paired Sierra with me? Because we’re, well… different?”

With a hesitant nod, Thomson confirmed Sierra’s earlier theory. “I’d hoped given the circumstances that you would be a kind and receptive host, and frankly you’ve exceeded my expectations. I want to thank you for that.”

Leaf smiled. The praise was admittedly pretty nice. “What about Corin? Any particular reason she came to me?”

“Empusa in general can be a little tricky to place, due to their large claws and the misconceptions of cannibalism,” Thomson explained, “but no reason in particular that it was _her,_ no. Just a combination of events.”

As Leaf thought about this, Thomson set a thin blue folder on the table between them. “So I guess that’s why I needed to talk to you again.”

* * *

Sierra sighed dreamily as the heat of the bath soothed her muscles. Beneath the water, her tail gently curled and stretched in every direction, working out tightness from her sedentary day prior. _I might have to spend a lot more time in here once winter hits,_ she thought to herself. Her skin glistened with condensing steam.

“Do you mind if I join you?”  
Sierra opened an eye to see Corin, wrapped in a towel not much lighter in shade than her pale skin. The girl never wanted to impose, and that was certainly the case here: she had not shared the bath with either of her housemates thus far.

“Sure, go nuts,” Sierra said indifferently as she limply waved a hand. Corin offered a polite thank-you and removed her towel, folding it gently on the floor outside the bath. As she gingerly lowered herself into the water, Sierra opened an eye to observe. After Corin’s little _‘should we date, Miss Leaf?’_ downtown, the echidna admittedly felt a need to keep a close eye on her. Another thing to protect Leaf from, that’s all.

The first thing she noticed, a bit begrudgingly, was that Corin’s chest was larger than hers. It didn’t seem like much of a difference clothed, but it was obvious now. Her nipples were a rosy pink like her extremities, looking almost as much like delicate flower buds as her species name implied. Beneath her typical flowy garments she was surprisingly slender, making the ratio between her waist and breast size feel almost unfair to Sierra. To ward off further possibility of getting frustrated, she closed her eyes again.

“Do you always like your baths this hot?” Corin’s voice articulated curiously. Without opening her eyes, Sierra responded. “Usually, or close to it. Even room-temp water can feel too cold for me at times. ‘Little hotter today because my muscles are stiff though.”

Corin responded with a soft “oh,” as she watched the girl’s tail swish gently under the water. Suddenly, she clasped her hands together as her eyes shone with excitement. “Ah! Would you like a massage? I’m very good, if you’re fine with it!”

“A massage, huh?...” Sierra mumbled under her breath. “Y’know what, sounds nice. Just tell me what to do.”

A few moments later, Sierra’s upper body lay against the raised porcelain on the edge of the bath, her head resting on her arms. Corin had drifted up beside her and was kneading down her back with chitinous fists, spreading to the sides as she reached the lowest points before rubbing and soothing her side muscles gently on the way back up. She smiled as the echidna let out a soft, quiet “mm…” beneath her hands.

“You’re not half bad,” Sierra mused with a small shiver. The toughness of Corin’s hands certainly helped, although they felt almost artificial. _Like getting a massage from an action figure,_ she chuckled. Slowly, they worked their way up to her shoulders, finding a knot to gently work out. As they did, she brought her clawed arms forward, using the tough backs of them to massage large portions of Sierra’s back.

After an unexpected moan, Sierra chuckled quietly. “I didn’t expect those. Pretty useful…” 

“Pardon me, I hope this is okay…” she heard the mantid say gently. A moment later, the girl’s thighs were on either side of her tail, straddling her as she pushed deeper into the massage. Sierra’s face ran even hotter than the bath had already made it. It only distracted her for a moment though; the massage felt even better from such a direct position and she sank into the sensation happily.  
Corin’s gentle voice sang out after a few minutes.

“I want to thank you,” she began, “for being so kind to me.”  
Sierra, half-conscious, only brought herself to utter a quiet ‘hm?’ in response.

“When I first arrived, I feared that maybe you weren’t fond of me,” Corin confessed, “and I’m sorry I offended you that day. But then you helped me at the butcher when I didn’t know what anything was… and the way you stood up to those men in the city and protected me. Not to mention, helping me open up to talk to Mella when I was shy in a big crowd. It means a lot. You were like a shining prince.”

 _Not sure I appreciate the analogy, but I’ll take it,_ Sierra thought. “Don’t sweat it kid, really. I just can be a little protective sometimes. That’s why I was wary of you at first. But you’re alright.”

Corin was quiet for a moment. “I was being truthful when I said I wanted to be strong like you,” she articulated carefully. “You’re brave and kind and bold, and I want to be like that too…

“...so I’m going to be bold.”

Corin sat up and looked down at the girl beneath her. Feeling this, Sierra twisted her upper body to look behind her, uncertain what was going on. Corin’s face was a bright pink, her claws fidgeting shyly.

“...Master Sierra, I desire you. …Allow me to repay you for your chivalry!”

“Whoa wait, _what?!”_ Sierra stammered, her tail flailing in shock. Corin didn’t flinch, only blush, her legs still straddling the base of Sierra’s tail.  
“I know you likely desire Miss Leaf, and I understand that. But I would still like to show you my appreciation, while she’s away.”

“Now wait a minute, I don’t _desire_ either of y—” Sierra started, but immediately became too flustered to speak. Corin had leaned forward, stretching her claws over Sierra’s sprawled arms as she ran her hands down the echidna’s soft stomach. “You can do whatever you like to me, I won’t mind. I can handle it.”

Sierra looked down in embarrassment; now that she had flipped around, she suddenly realized how close their hips were to one another’s. “I, uh…”

Observing the reaction, Corin’s face fell slightly. “Do you not find me appealing, Master?”

 _“Nonono,”_ Sierra spilled out. “You are, you… really are. This is just a lot to take in…”  
Corin slid back a few feet, running her hands gently up and down the long, scaled tail. She had a strangely understanding look on her face.

“If you don’t wish to, I’ll accept that,” she encouraged. “But know, Master Sierra, that I would be honored for you to relax and allow me the privilege of serving you.”

There was a short silence. Slowly, Corin felt the long, thick tail begin to wrap itself around her arms and body, binding her before pulling her close. As she was brought near Sierra’s face she whimpered, finding herself unable to move as the last foot or so of the tail danced gently before her. Corin had heard how sensitive the tips of serpentine tails were: if one were already in the mood, playing with it could be… _intensely_ satisfying. In fact, it wasn’t unusual for the stimulation to bring them to orgasm. Before she could think any further, the tip gently brushed against her lips.

Sierra’s tongue flicked from her mouth, drinking in the girl’s desire with a lustful grin.  
_“Open your mouth, my pet.”_

Corin would do anything to repay her master.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Patience is a virtue, but it looks like we've got someone new coming up! But who?


	13. Gio

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“So cool to meet you guys! I know I probably kinda stand out, in a lot of ways, but I’m super cool with personal space and all that, so you can totally let me know if I ever overstep.”_  
>   
>  The new homestay is on the way and the girls have no idea what to expect... but they end up more surprised than they anticipated.

“Another, huh?”

Leaf looked at the paperwork before her. There was a lot of it, but for once she didn’t feel overwhelmed. The dynamic in her home was becoming pretty comfortable.

“Please don’t feel obligated to accept. I can find somewhere else. It’s just,” Thomson paused, trying to find the right words. “I genuinely think this homestay would be most comfortable with you, as far as options go. Just know that, again, we will be perfectly willing to renovate to add additional sleeping space.”

Tapping the pen against the table, Leaf nodded in thought. “I understand. There’s definitely no room as is, but they can obviously share the loft while something’s being built.” She wasn’t explaining to Ms. Thomson so much as ironing out the details aloud. In her head, she just hoped the girls already living with her would be receptive. Particularly the serpentine.

Leaf leaned forward apologetically. “Before I make any big decisions, I need to make a quick phone call. Is that okay?” She began to stand from the table.

“Of course,” Thomson waved her hand. “Do whatever you need. I appreciate your willingness to consider this in the first place.”

On the bench outside, Leaf took a deep breath and tapped the small green call button. She felt bad calling for the first time in months for something like this, but hopefully it would be fine. After a few rings, there was a click, and the familiar feminine voice answered.

“Well _hi_ sis, glad to know you’re still alive. How are things going?”

Leaf was a bit embarrassed; it had been a few months by this point. “I know, Amy, I’m sorry… a lot has been going on lately. I told you about the exchange program, right?” She hoped she didn’t have to explain everything at once; she would feel infinitely worse were that the case.

“Yeah, how’s it going? Is she super cool? It was a girl, right?”  
“She is, yeah. My coordinator called me to meet up and had some issues to discuss with me, and… is Michael there?”

A bit confused, Amy answered. “Uh, yeah, I’ll put you on speakerphone, hold on.”

After saying hi to her brother-in-law, Leaf explained the situation as gently as possible: that she may be housing other homestays who have had a difficult time in the program (she alluded to multiple homestays due to having not told them about Corin yet), and that it would likely require an expansion on the house to do so. Paid for, of course.

“Well, I mean if it’s paid for and everything, that won’t exactly put you in any financial trouble, right?” the masculine tenor noted on the other end of the line. “Like I said, it’s pretty much legally yours now so it makes no difference to me.”

“I know, I know,” Leaf reasoned, “but it still feels weird to do something like that without asking you first.”  
“I understand,” Michael replied. “Don’t worry about it, it’s perfectly fine.”  
“Thank you guys, really. I owe you so much.”

It was Amy’s turn to speak up. “You don’t owe us anything. But if you’re so worried then feel free to let us stay with you for a weekend sometime, once the expansion is done,” she teased.

“That sounds nice,” Leaf smiled. “You can meet the homestays too. Thanks again.”

The deal was done, and Leaf signed all of the advance paperwork that she was able. Thomson thanked her profusely, and after finishing their meal, the two parted ways.

* * *

“I’m home!”

As Leaf hung her coat up, Sierra slid into view. “So what’d Thomson want?” From above them in the loft, a voice chimed _welcome back, Miss Leaf!  
_ “Good question.” She called Corin downstairs as she walked into the living area.

“I have good news and bad news.”  
Sierra looked skeptical; Corin, on the other hand, was immensely curious.

“The good news is, we’re getting another expansion on the house, free of charge.” She enunciated the last three words, particularly happy to have even more space.

As Corin smiled excitedly, Sierra raised an eyebrow. “Which means the bad news is…”

Leaf laughed nervously. “Well it’s not exactly _bad,_ just unexpected. We’re going to have another homestay with us. I want you two to be prepared for that.”

 _“Theeeere_ it is,” Sierra smirked, before giving a shrug. “Well, Eden can’t be gated forever, my little apples. It is what it is.”

After trying for a moment to parse the metaphor, Leaf gave up and turned to Corin. “How do you feel about it?”

Giving a slight bow, the mantid smiled happily. “I think it’s wonderful! I wasn’t expecting to learn so much about non-humans too!”

“She better be cool, though,” Sierra warned with a smile. “I’m outnumbered here. When’s she coming?”

“Three days. They’re going to start the construction in two, so in the meantime, Corin, would you mind sharing the loft?”  
“Yes ma’am! There’s plenty of room!” she agreed instantly.

As Leaf was about to respond, her phone vibrated on the counter. She unlocked the screen to see a followup message from Amy. 

<<👯‍♀️| _Hey! keep nov. 1 open, ok?_

“Thomson?” Sierra inquired. As Leaf slid the phone into her pocket she shook her head. 

“Nah, it’s nothing. Really though, I’m a little surprised you guys took this so well,” she confessed. “So, we have three days… promise to help me clean up a little?”

* * *

Before Leaf knew it, three days had come and gone (though the second was Corin’s first experience with the sounds of construction around the home, and took her some getting used to). Having scheduled the arrival time similarly to Sierra’s, she was prepared enough to brew some coffee and be waiting on the front steps as the large, black SUV pulled into the driveway.  
Sierra was peering outside through her bedroom window, willing to give their host some space despite her curiosity.

Ms. Thomson stepped out of the driver’s seat and gave a friendly wave to Leaf, who immediately noticed she was wearing her red glasses rather than the shades she always donned when visiting on important work. _Maybe she really_ is _loosening up,_ she chuckled.

From the passenger side, she heard the door open, accompanied by the crunch of gravel. Crunchier than usual, even. As the figure stepped out, Sierra realized the new homestay was a fair bit taller than the car the two were riding in. Not only that, but…  
 _Huh, is that…_

“A _guy?!”_ Sierra exclaimed from her room. “This should’ve been brought up sooner; did Leaf know? I can _live_ with a man, but it kinda feels like a breach of privacy…” Peeking above the windowsill beside her was Corin, her antennae twitching curiously.

Leaf was definitely correct about height; the newcomer was nearly two feet taller than Thomson, who stood nearby. He had tanned, light-brown skin, with a smooth and delicate face topped with silver hair that was pulled back into a small bun. The sides, shaved close, were a deep black. He was fairly slender, with particularly dynamic beige feathers coating his arms and powerful thighs. Below his knees were sturdy, scaly calves with absolutely massive talons for feet. _I suppose he’s a harpy, but he’s unlike any harpy I’ve ever heard of… huh._

  
  
  


“Miss Miller, I’d like to introduce you to Gio.”

“What’s up?” The harpy smiled cheerfully in a low alto; if she had only heard the voice over the phone, Leaf would have assumed he was no more than fifteen. As he raised a wing, his host noticed that it was different from those of other harpies: rather than fanning out into a vast span of feathers, the front two parts of his forelimbs were decorated with a relatively small amount. Certainly, he wouldn’t be able to fly with them.

“Ah… Hi Gio, my name’s Leaf; I’m excited to have you here! Uhm, I hope you don’t mind, but you’re kind of the only guy here…”

“As long as it’s okay with you guys, it’s okay with me! I’m super adaptable,” he smiled. Leaf was intrigued. He seemed very congenial, so she already felt a little relaxed. There was just one more test, though.

“Well, I guess we should head in and meet the other girls?”  
“Sounds great!” Gio agreed; beside him, the much-shorter Ms. Thomson nodded.

As the three of them crossed into the living area, Leaf suddenly realized she had no clue where the other girls were.“Sierra, Corin!” she called, loud enough for them to hear wherever they may be in the house, “Come meet the new homestay!” As she waited, Thomson made her nest by the kitchen table and began preparing the additional required documents.

A moment later, both of the girls filed out of Sierra’s room awkwardly. Although Leaf was puzzled for a moment she soon realized they must have been watching the arrival from inside. _Of course._

“Ladies, this is Gio. Gio, this is Sierra, and Corin.” She motioned to each of them.  
Corin gave a small bow. “It’s very nice to meet you, Sir Gio.”   
As Sierra entered the room she had raised up an additional foot or so, allowing her to be eye to eye with the guest. “How’s it goin’?”

Gio smiled and raised a wing, much the same as he did when greeting Leaf outside. “So cool to meet you guys! I know I probably kinda stand out, in a lot of ways, but I’m super cool with personal space and all that, so you can totally let me know if I ever overstep.”

Leaf analyzed the girls’ expressions. Sierra seemed strangely impressed, probably due to the new homestay’s relaxed nature. Corin, naturally, was as excited and curious as ever, which made Leaf wonder: _are empusa all female? I know serpentines are, but I guess I never asked… huh._

That thought gave Leaf pause. _Wait. I thought harpies were all female too._ She suddenly recalled what Ms. Thomson had told her over lunch a few days prior: “ _I genuinely think this homestay would be most comfortable with you, as far as options go._ ” She had wondered what was meant by that, and it finally clicked.

Thomson didn’t stay particularly long, just enough to have Gio and Leaf sign any additional documents. Before they knew it she was on her way, and afterward the foursome settled on the sectional to get to know each other better.

“I apologize if it’s rude to ask, but can you swim, Gio?” Leaf was curious since his wings were different from other harpies, and they did live by a lake after all.

Gio waved it off. “Not rude at all! My feathers can get pretty waterlogged, so it’s not exactly easy, but I still enjoy being out on the water when I can.” He raised his arms as if to accentuate all the short feathers lining them. “I guess our legs aren’t really meant to be hydrodynamic either, though.”

“That makes sense,” Leaf nodded. “I wasn’t sure, since your wing structure seems to be different from other harpies I’ve seen.”

“Not to mention the legs,” Sierra added from the other end of the sectional, her arms crossed. “I thought harpies were typically smaller, more lightweight. You’re… incredibly tall.”

Gio laughed, revealing a charming smile. “Oh, yeah, that’s because I’m a land harpy!”  
In unison, Leaf and Sierra both inquired: _“a land harpy?”_

“Yep! I’m actually flightless, which I guess can be a little embarrassing,” he rubbed the back of his head. “But that’s why there’s no need for a smaller size; we evolved differently. We’re pretty rare though, I guess most people are only familiar with traditional harpies. Oh! And my legs are built for running. I don’t wanna brag, but I’m pretty darn fast.”

Corin watched as he flexed his tremendous talons.“Uhm, Sir Gio, I have a question.”  
“You super don’t have to call me ‘sir,’ it’s okay. Also, it sounds kinda like ‘Sergio’. Just Gio is fine. What’s up?”

“Ah, sorry yes, Gio,” she said with a small bow. “I learned in my studies back home that harpy species are all female. Are there really male harpies out in the world? And do they look more like girls than other male liminals?”

Leaf didn’t expect this to come up so quickly, nor did she expect Corin to point out that Gio looked less masculine than, say, male centaurs or kobolds. Immediately, she tried to damage control. “I’m sure it’s very complicated, Corin, we don’t need to pry—”

“It’s totes fine, don’t worry about it,” Gio interrupted, kindly. “Ms. Thomson told me that you guys were pretty accepting, so I hope it’s not too strange to talk about, but.” He turned back toward Corin and Sierra. 

“Harpies are born female, yeah. They mate with human men, so every harpy’s father is actually a human! They don’t tend to stay as a part of the society at all, though— harpies are pretty tribal, so it’s pretty much just all girls all the time other than when they need to fertilize eggs. As I was growing up that felt weird for me, so eventually I started trying to be more boyish. It wasn’t until I cut most of my hair off that the tribe really freaked out and, well, then I ended up on my own.”

Corin had a finger to her mouth as she thought for a moment, before finally responding. “Your family didn’t want you because of that? How silly.” 

Gio chuckled. “It _is_ silly, isn’t it? But it’s not so bad. Being independent is nice.” Leaf and Corin both nodded in agreement.

There was a short silence. Softly, Sierra spoke up.  
“I’m really sorry.”

Leaf looked to her in surprise. She hadn’t expected the echidna to be so forward, especially after being quiet for so long. Sierra was looking down, her hands resting gently in her lap. Gio gave a weak smile and shrugged. “It’s not your fault, don’t apologize. It’s okay.”

 _“It’s not okay!”_ Sierra suddenly barked, taking everyone off-guard. “... it’s not. It’s fucking _not_ okay, it’s disgusting. You did _nothing wrong,_ just wanted to live in a way that made you happy, and they deserted you? For something that didn’t affect them at _all?_ I mean…” 

“Sierra…” Leaf whispered quietly. The echidna never allowed herself to look this upset around others. There were tears in her eyes, her voice full of an upset rage as it quivered.

“What kind of fucking _monster_ does that to their _child?”_ Sierra snarled with a sob. “It’s wrong! It’s just… _wrong…”_

Corin slid up beside her and wrapped both her right arms around her in silent comfort. Neither Leaf nor Gio knew what to say, though the latter tried to show his appreciation at least.

“Thank you,” he spoke quietly as he nodded. “For real. There’s not much that can be done now, so I’m just glad to be in a place that’s better for me. That’s all that matters, really.”

Leaf wondered if Sierra’s rage was based solely toward Gio’s tribe or if there was… more to it than she wanted to admit. After all, both Leaf and the harpy’s stories were fairly similar. She didn’t know if Ms. Thomson had informed Gio of this fact, but she figured she would share later that night. 

* * *

Despite the offer to share the loft, Gio decided to spend the first night on the couch, figuring it may be more comfortable for the others. His housemates seemed lovely— Corin was clearly raised to be prim and proper, but had a natural curiosity that he found endearing. Sierra, while tough and resilient, was clearly passionate; he got the feeling that she would be the kind to pretend her earlier emotional outburst never happened, and he was more than happy to oblige that. Given her personality, maybe she’d be willing to exercise with him. And Leaf Miller, the host… clearly trying to be as welcoming as possible. She seemed the type to go out of her way to make everyone feel comfortable, even at her own expense.

“Hey, Gio, I wanted to talk for a minute. Is that cool?”  
He lifted his head up from the couch to see Leaf standing at the opposite end awkwardly.

“For sure, what’s up?”

Leaf settled on an ottoman near him and continued softly, in case Corin was already asleep in the loft above. “I just wanted to check in, make sure you feel comfortable and everything. I know this afternoon was a little intense.”

Gio looked slightly puzzled for a moment, then responded happily. “Not at all! Everyone seems nice. I appreciate it though; it probably seems like a difficult subject but I know it’s unfamiliar sometimes, especially to liminals, so I don’t mind talking about it.”

“Not that unfamiliar,” Leaf chuckled quietly to herself. “I’m… the same way. My parents kicked me out for the same reason, years ago. I was pretty much by myself until becoming a host for the program. I’ve talked to Sierra about it, but I honestly can’t say for sure if Corin knows. Regardless… you don’t need to worry about feeling alone here. You’ve got someone else here writing a similar story.”

With soft surprise, Gio nodded. “You didn’t have to tell me, but I’m glad you did. Thanks. It does help.”

“Good. A lot of us feel like outsiders here, so we at least have that going for us.” As Leaf stood up to head back to her room, she added, “Y’know… Sierra was hoping for someone a little tougher than Corin, so I think you’re a good fit. Goodnight, Gio.”

“Thank you, Leaf. Goodnight.” As her door closed, he looked down at the wrapping on the floor which bound his chest for most of the day.

 _A good fit, huh?..._ Gio smiled softly to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gio’s hair is 100% inspired by Sokka from Avatar, because it’s great and when that dude’s hair is let down it is gorgeous.
> 
> Also, for more fun in names, Gio’s namesake is the greater roadrunner _(Geococcyx californianus)_


	14. October Leaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Holy shit, Halloween’s in like two weeks! I didn’t even realize… Hosting everyone has made me completely lose track of time.”_  
>   
>  Corin asks Leaf about the upcoming holidays, and the group tries to decide how to spend them.

Gio was certainly an early riser; with anyone else this would be a problem for Leaf, who tended to wake up early for any daily ‘maintenance’ that being trans gave her insecurity over. She didn’t want to be seen looking what she felt was more boyish if she could help it, even around people she trusted, so if she had company she would wake before everyone else to shower, shave, apply makeup and so on. Since starting as a host for the exchange program, this had become her daily morning ritual.

Fortunately, Leaf quickly became comfortable with Gio due to their similar experiences. She didn’t mind too much if she ran into him in the morning in what she would sometimes disparagingly call ‘boymode’, and Gio was comfortable enough with the idea of his host occasionally seeing him in a shirt with breasts unbound. Obviously Leaf adored the girls, but it was nice to have someone around who really _got it._

Gio had gone out for a morning run around the property; as he left, Leaf advised him not to go too far away as she didn’t know how any other people in the area would take to a seven-and-a-half-foot bird running through the woods. In addition, her homestays weren’t supposed to be off the property without her accompaniment in the first place, so Leaf spent their first early morning together pointing out to Gio how far down the lakeside he could run without coming too close to someone else’s land.

He had also become useful to have around the house: with the increased number of residents, Leaf sometimes needed a little more help keeping the place clean. While Gio didn’t exactly have the dexterity of hands, he was more than happy to help Leaf in any way he could with preparing meals and so the two spent some of their early mornings practicing together.

“Ughh, how much longer is this construction going on?” Sierra’s tail thumped impatiently on the living room sectional. “I’m over all this hammering and drilling.”  
Leaf stared at her for a moment, unsure if she was joking or not.

“Sierra, it’s been _three days._ The bathhouse took two weeks, remember?”

The echidna sank into the couch melodramatically. “I’m going to die. I’m dead. I just want some quiet again…”

Corin giggled as Sierra flopped around in her death spasms. “Miss Leaf, I was reading about American culture before bed last night, and…” She turned to look at her host. “Isn’t there a holiday coming up? Do you not celebrate it?”

Leaf paused for a second and pulled up her phone. “A holiday?...”  
As the screen lit up, she saw the date: **Sunday, October 17**

“Holy shit, Halloween’s in like two weeks!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t even realize… Hosting everyone has made me completely lose track of time.” After it sank in, she turned to Corin to answer her more appropriately.

“I do celebrate, I guess. There’s not really much to do out here for it, but in the suburbs and the city there’s a lot more going on. Usually I stay at home and watch scary movies.”

“Okay, couple questions,” Sierra began, finally lifting herself upright and paying attention. “One, what the hell is Halloween.” She said this flatly, the point where it didn’t even sound like a question. “Two, _you?_ Scary movies? You’re a baby.”

“I am not! Besides, baby or not, it’s tradition.”

“But why _scary_ movies, Miss Leaf?” Corin had only read the basics: She saw pictures of costumes and pumpkins, but otherwise was fairly unaware of anything to do with the holiday.

Leaf took a deep breath. “Alright, alright. Guess I have to fill y’all in. But we have to wait until Gio’s back from his run, because there’s no way I’m going over this more than once.”

As it turns out, they didn’t have to wait long: he had already been gone for a while, and within a half-hour he had returned and took a quick rinse in the guest shower adjacent to Leaf’s bedroom.

Leaf liked Halloween; she didn’t know if she’d consider it her favorite, but it was certainly one of the most fun. She started by sharing the basic history with the three liminals, but pulled up a reference on her phone to ensure she got the details right. Surprisingly, Sierra was familiar with the older concept of Samhain; Gio and Corin were at least familiar with the idea of a day to honor the dead.

“We hold festivals with wonderful performances, and clean the graves of those deceased while praying to them,” Corin noted enthusiastically. “It was held not long before I came here, actually.” Gio nodded, noting that some harpy tribes light lanterns for those they’ve lost.

This was the first holiday that Leaf had spent with not just liminals, but foreign guests of any kind. She was admittedly fascinated by the idea.

“Well,” she thought aloud, “Halloween is mostly a pretty secular thing in America, I guess. Little kids go door-to-door in suburban areas and get candy from each house, but that usually ends when they become teens. People around my age usually dress up in costumes and go to parties or clubs or things like that. I’d be willing to bet some humans even dress up like liminals that interest them, actually. Devils or lamias or kobolds, probably. And ‘cat girls’ are always popular.”

The thought of this amused the others to no end. _A human dressed up as a lamia?_ Sierra laughed to herself. _I’d pay money to see that…_

“But another tradition, if you’re not able to do those things, or if you’re a little more low-key, is watching scary movies. Usually ones with ghosts or demons, witches, vampires… or even just scary humans,” Leaf added. She didn’t know how the soft-hearted Corin would react if she said ‘murderers with chainsaws’ so she decided to keep it light.

“That part sounds rad, I’m in,” Sierra remarked, before cutting her eyes at Leaf. “I also just kinda wanna see you pee your pants when you get scared.”

Leaf gave a frustrated sigh. “I’m _not_ gonna pee my pants…” The others giggled as Sierra continued to tease.

Corin raised her claws above her head. “Well, I’m excited! This all sounds like fun!” Gio seemed infected by the idea as well.

“Hey, I have an idea… why don’t we do both?”

The others looked at him blankly for a second. “Both what?” Sierra questioned dryly, to which Gio chuckled in embarrassment.

“Yeah, guess I should’ve said, huh… why don’t we watch a bunch of scary movies, and also find a way to honor the dead?”

Corin clapped her hands excitedly, and a huge smile grew on Leaf’s face.

“That sounds great! I don’t remember what’s traditionally considered the day of remembrance, but we can do it on Halloween night itself, and movies on the days leading up to it!” She loved the idea. “If you guys want, I’ll pull up a big list and we can pick out some movies based on what they’re about? I’d love for you to choose ones that interest you.”

“Our own unique Halloween, huh?” Sierra smiled. It was nice seeing Leaf this excited. “Let’s do it. Besides, it’ll help us pass the time with all the construction if we watch some during the day too.”

* * *

There wasn’t an easy way to decorate for Halloween without going farther out to a retail store (an idea that Leaf made sure to tuck in the back of her mind for when Christmastime approached), but it was the perfect time of year for pumpkins, which served as the world’s easiest decor. With Gio’s help, Leaf brought a half-dozen back from the farmer’s market, setting aside a few for carving.

Mid-afternoon had Leaf making a scratch list of movies, using the internet for reference— there was an absurd number of _“best halloween movies ever!”_ lists online, so she flipped between those and what were generally regarded to be the classics.

“Hmm… let’s see, if today’s the seventeenth, that means we need at least… fifteen movies, and that’s only if we watch one a day. So, maybe we can each pick out five or so?”

Eventually, with entirely too much dedication— because what could she say, her homestays had gotten her in the mood and she was down to commit— she compiled a massive list of movies with quick one-sentence synopses. It would probably take all of them a while to pick, so along with the list she pulled up a video site on her laptop to play trailers of anything that sparked their interest.

Throughout the afternoon Leaf called each of them to the kitchen table, asking what they were interested in and offering suggestions based on that. This also resulted in additional movies being added to the list— which was unsurprising to the host, as she was sure there was no way she’d have _all_ the well-loved scary movies written down.

“Is there anything with snakes?”  
Leaf paused for a moment, mulling it over. “There… was one when I was growing up, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be very good. It’s kinda cheesy and it’s more like, horror adventure than legit scary.”  
“Eh,” Sierra shrugged. “I’ll keep it on and if I find something I like more I’ll bump it.”  
“Fine by me. We can always watch it together later if you want, too.”

They’d watched shows and movies together before, naturally, but the offer from Leaf always made Sierra happy. It allowed her to enjoy time with her host while still feeling protective internally.

After the other three had made their choices, Leaf picked out five that remained unselected to round out their list. Having finally compiled them all onto a single reference sheet, she nodded to herself in satisfaction before addressing the others, who were in the living room considering ideas for their day of honoring the dead.

“Alright y’all, I have to be honest… This feels like a pretty good list, I’m actually super excited. We just have to decide on one for tonight, but I figure we can alternate between each person’s picks from night to night so we get a fair rotation.”

“Sounds totally good to me! Can we see the full list?” Gio gave an enthusiastic harpy-claw thumbs up while brushing the hair out of his face. For the first day or two he had tended to wear it up in a knot; it looked more formal and respectful. Since then, he had begun wearing it down when he wasn’t exercising. It wasn’t long, only coming past his chin at a few points, but the girls had agreed amongst themselves that it made him look even more laid-back and approachable.

The three liminals gathered close as Leaf set the small notebook on the table before them. As their eyes darted back and forth, they began talking over each other.

  
  


“ _Saw?_ That sounds gory…”  
“Damn Gio, you really went old with some of these.”  
“First-of-its-kind is radical! I almost put The Thing on mine too, until Leaf said you already picked it.”  
“Am I the only one that picked a fun, not-scary one?”

“Well, actually, that’s my next question,” Leaf spoke up. “ _Corpse Bride,_ Sierra? Not exactly hardcore.” She absolutely couldn’t resist the opportunity to tease her.

“It’s...!” The echidna grew red in the face and looked away. “Shut up. I liked the sound of it. A story about a zombie who falls for a human? It sounds nice, that’s all…” She paused before adding “Maybe she’ll eat his brains…”

Leaf knew by now that Sierra was hiding an affinity for ‘cute’ things, as she didn’t want to betray her brash exterior. She would never admit it aloud, of course, and Leaf was fine with that; the blonde would occasionally put on romance shows and movies by herself with the intent of coaxing Sierra out and letting her watch too without feeling judged. It was their unspoken agreement.

“Okay! Let’s flip some coins to see who gets to pick first, and…” Leaf bounced up with a smile. “We’ll let the festivities begin!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of fun doing things like this— making lists that the housemates chose, etc.— because it really is fun to put myself into the headspace of the characters I know and love.
> 
> This chapter is actually building up to some of my favorite chapters thus far, I’m very excited.


	15. Bad Moon Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I don’t mind at all, Miss Leaf! I’ve known some human cultures to revere people like that, in fact.”_  
>   
>  Leaf discovers the problems that come with hosting several liminals during a full moon.

The coin toss went to Corin, who picked “Trick ‘R Treat”. It turned out to be a perfect choice: Corin had it on her list since it was supposedly a collection of tales about Halloween, and thus it felt like a seasonally appropriate start.

“Pretty cheesy, but I enjoyed it,” Sierra reviewed aloud, stretching her arms above her head. A few of her knuckles popped, which made Leaf wince.  
“I thought it was interesting!” Corin said thoughtfully. Gio stood up, towering over the mantid beside him before following Sierra’s example by stretching from side to side. It seemed that the larger two liminals got stiff way more easily than either Leaf or Corin if they stayed in the same place too long.

“I think I’m going to take a bath before I head to bed,” Leaf yawned. “If I don’t see y'all after, have a good night, okay?”

It had been almost three weeks, and Leaf still couldn’t believe the massive multi-person bath was hers. Every time she drew the water and sank in, it felt like a dream— she typically showered because baths felt a little cramped for her height, but now she had all the space in the world to spread out. As she did exactly that, Leaf thought about how nice it was to have company for once. Other than occasionally seeing her sister and brother-in-law, running errands, and occasionally going downtown, she didn’t really have anyone else around. She was content enough with it, but the presence of her homestays made the lakehouse feel more alive. She definitely found herself smiling more, lately.

As Leaf heard a knock on the door behind her she turned slightly, sinking down further into the water. Typically, other than the first day of checking out the bathhouse, everyone kept their own separate bathing schedule. Once the voice spoke up on the other side of the door, Leaf felt her stomach flip.

“Miss Leaf? Would you mind terribly if I joined you in the baths?”

A moment of panic set in. Leaf was still not perfectly comfortable with her body, and since she hadn’t said anything about transitioning to Corin yet it would be an awkward surprise. Should she tell her? Cover up? Would Corin be upset that she didn’t know sooner? _Shit, how do I handle this…_

“...Miss Leaf?” The door cracked open gently. Corin heard a splash on the other side, and felt relieved to hear some sort of response. “It’s perfectly okay if you’d prefer to bathe alone… I respect modesty, so you don’t have to worry about upsetting me.”

Silence. Eventually, Leaf took a deep breath and responded.  
“Yeah, you can come in.”  
As Corin crossed the threshold, Leaf blushed slightly. Her slender body was wrapped in a white towel, cleavage accentuated due to its tightness. Corin was not normally one to show off her body, so occurrences like this were essentially limited to bathing.

“Uhm…” Leaf held up her hand nervously, stopping her. “Can you… stay there for a minute? There’s something I need to tell you.”

Corin tilted her head, her antennae twitching. Honestly, Leaf thought, it was kind of adorable. “Yes? What is it?”  
“You remember our talk with Gio? About how he’s different than most boys because he grew up as something different?”  
“Yes, of course,” Corin bowed slightly. “He’s very strong to have done that.”

“Well… there’s no easy way to come clean about this, but… I’m the same way.”

The girl’s antennae twitched again, as she seemed to be deep in thought. “...Miss Leaf, you wish to live as a boy?”

Leaf stammered as she tried to clarify. “N-no… No. I mean, I did. And it was awful. And now I… live as a girl. I just need you to know that, if you’re thinking about sharing the baths with me.”

Corin finally understood. She flashed a kind, razor-toothed smile. “I don’t mind at all, Miss Leaf! I’ve known some human cultures to revere people like that, in fact.” As she dropped her towel, Leaf blushed even harder and turned away. Even if Corin was fine with bathing together, it felt improper to watch the girl disrobe.

“Yeah?” Leaf questioned, her voice nearly cracking in embarrassment as she stared into the water. “Not really the case anymore, not here at least.” 

“They should!” the girl’s youthful voice chimed as she stepped gently into the water nearby. After a moment she had immersed herself to just above her breasts, sitting on her knees about five feet away from Leaf. “You know, in some cultures there are even goddesses like you, Miss Leaf. Can you believe that? A _goddess!”_

Corin began to move closer. As her eyes sparkled, Leaf tried to subtly inch away to put more space between them. “Yeah, that’s crazy…” she mumbled. _This is too close for comfort. Maybe I should just say something…_

“Corin, do you min—”   
“Miss Leaf, you deserve to be revered as well! Just like a goddess!” She leaned in with a splash, her kimono-like extensions billowing in the water. They made her body appear graceful in its nudity. “You’re so kind and loving and gracious, I must praise you for that!” 

Leaf tumbled backwards, scrambling to a side wall of the bath to keep upright. “C-Corin, what’s gotten into you?”

Tough, thin fingers climbed their way up Leaf’s body, working slowly up until Corin was nearly entirely on top of her. “Let me revere you as a celestial being is deserving of, Goddess Leaf,” she pleaded, her delicate, singsong voice growing with fervor.

Leaf braced her arms against the porcelain, her face growing redder as Corin’s soft, lily-white chest pressed against her own, the girl's rosy nipples standing out like solitary flowers in snow. _So pink…_ She inhaled sharply as their nipples grazed one another’s. _Don’tgetturnedondon’tgetturnedon…_ As articulated fingers braced themselves against her shoulders, she felt Corin’s claws wrap behind her, holding her close.

“Don’t be scared, Goddess Leaf, I just wish to serve you…” Corin’s voice grew quieter. “I promise, orchid mantises don’t truly eat each other like people say…”

Leaf’s eyes shot wide as she felt their hips press tightly together. A flush of heat rushed through her body. The thing between her thighs stirred as her breath staggered from the sudden pressure.

“...at least, not while mating…”

The door to the bathhouse flew open, slamming against the wall. In the opening, claws sinking into the doorframe, was Sierra.

 _Oh thank god,_ Leaf thought, as the nude mantid let out a small shriek and stumbled back in surprise.

“Holy shit, do you fuck _everyone_ in here?!” Sierra exclaimed in heated shock. “It’s _unbelievable_ how classless you are! Come on, Leaf, let’s go.”

Leaf scrambled out of the tub, grabbing a towel as quickly as possible to cover up her body before Sierra grabbed her hand.

* * *

“Are you okay?”

Leaf sat on Sierra’s mattress, still soaking wet but wrapped in a towel.  
Sierra grabbed another from the adjacent bathroom and, holding it with her tail, used it to help dry her off.

“Honestly, that girl is unbelievable, trying to pull that shit in a bath that _we all share.”_ The irony of the statement was lost on her, apparently. “Playing so sweet and innocent… it’s unreal.”

“It’s okay, Sierra, thank you,” Leaf tried to calm her down as she leaned back against the wall. Sierra had a right to be angry, but Leaf figured there was no need to continue being upset, as she was okay and nothing happened between the two.

“You don’t have to thank me. I told you I’d protect you, remember?” Her tail slid into the space behind Leaf’s back, pulling her upright and to her feet. “It’s always been us.”

Slowly, Sierra’s tail wrapped around the blonde’s entire body, bringing her close.

“I won’t let her taint you,” she hissed gently. Her tongue flicked out, flitting as she tasted the air. Leaf tried to keep her breath steady; the only thing separating her body from smooth serpentine scales was the soaked towel between them. Her body, especially after what just happened in the baths, knew that it wasn’t enough. _What is with her?..._

“Your smell…” Sierra mewled softly. “It’s intoxicating. So pure, so sweet, so feminine… I can smell the pheromones and they make me _ache,_ Leaf _…”_ As she said the last few words, her voice lifted in soft passion. There was an intense, longing gleam in her eyes. The tail unraveled quickly and, with a light push, had Leaf falling back onto the mattress. Within moments, the strong viper slithered on top of her, her mouth practically watering.

“Sierra, what the _hell!”_ Leaf gasped. _Everyone in this house has gone fucking crazy,_ she thought to herself. Suddenly chills shot through her entire body as Sierra’s tongue ran gently along her collarbone.

“Thomson would never know, you know that right?” Sierra whined, looking up at her with craving. “And snake girls… sometimes we mate for up to ten hours… can you imagine? _Ten marvelous, heavenly hours…”_

Leaf found herself paralyzed with… _fear?_ She wasn’t entirely certain what it was, honestly, but the gradual stirring between her legs didn’t help her confusion. Suddenly, Sierra's eyes widened as she glanced down between their hips, then back to Leaf, giggling.

"Ohh, I _see…_ _Therrre's_ a good girl…"

Leaf thought to the night of their kiss. She was fond of Sierra, but this was… too much.

Before anything else occurred, there was an abrupt pounding at the door along with the sound of scratches. “Miss Sierra! How _dare_ you get mad at me, you’re just as bad!” Corin angrily shouted. “Goddess Leaf needs devotion!”

Leaf felt like she was going insane. Constricted by her protective homestay, practically _mounted_ by her more formal guest… This all had to stop. She spoke up quietly, trying to sound rational.

“Sierra, I really think you should unlock the door… You’ve never acted like this before, I don’t understand.”

Sierra’s eyes shimmered with yearning. “I’ll protect you from them, I swear it. Please, Leaf, you’re allowed to touch me…” She took Leaf’s soft human hand and gently placed it on her breast, her light-brown nipple resting between the host’s third and fourth finger. As Leaf’s face grew a bright red, the pounding of the door got louder. Sierra’s pupils constricted as she jerked toward the sound in anger.

**_“IF YOU WANT IN HERE, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO KICK DOWN THE FUCKING DO—”_ **

The wooden door crashed open, the doorknob flying across the room as Sierra was mid-growl. The both of them jumped, Sierra’s coils tightening around Leaf in the process  
_Owowoww…_

In the doorway, slightly taller than the frame itself, was Gio, with Corin tucked beneath his arm flailing pathetically. He waved his claw in a ‘come here’ motion.  
“Aw man. You’re gonna traumatize the girl, c’mon now. Leaf, come with me.” 

The echidna hissed, her grip tight, until she felt Leaf’s hand on her arm. “Sierra. Off.”

Regardless of her senses that night, Sierra understood without a second thought and her tail receded. As Leaf climbed out from underneath her, following Gio across the hall and into her own room, Sierra was frozen. Her protective instinct churned through her head like waves in a storm, and somehow it had all been calmed with one simple command from Leaf— though her thoughts were running too wild to understand what happened, or even that it _did_ happen. With her mind static, her adrenaline spent, she collapsed into sleep within minutes.

* * *

“Sorry about that,” Gio said cheerfully, locking Leaf’s door behind them and leaning against it. Leaf, sitting on her own bed and appreciating more than ever that she was finally able to put on clothes, looked to the harpy warily.

“No offense, but… how do I know you’re not about to go crazy too?”

Gio’s eyes lit up as though he finally understood something. “Ohhh, I get it now… you don’t know about full moons! I totally would’ve warned you if I knew.” He looked strangely nonchalant about the whole thing.

“Full moons? Like, werewolves?” Leaf questioned, not understanding the connection. She also happened to be thinking of werewolves from folklore as opposed to the species of liminals referred to as werewolves, thought of by most humans simply as “wolf-girls”.

Gio nodded, completely unaware of the disconnect in their understandings of the term ‘werewolf’. “Uh-huh. And lamias. And harpies. Centaurs, arachnes… almost every liminal species, really. The full moon heightens their instincts, especially mating desires. I’m surprised you didn’t know that, I thought Ms. Thomson would’ve told you. Hey, do humans not get affected by the full moon? That’s so interesting.”

Gio’s train of thought was clearly beginning to derail, but Leaf finally understood. _Corin probably_ did _want to bathe, but also became enthralled with the idea of making me feel special. Sierra’s protective instincts were dialed up to eleven… and both of them were overwhelmed with the desire to mate._

She nodded. “I think I get it. But, uh… you said harpies too, right?” Gio noticed the look of concern on her face.

“I did, yeah. But that kinda thing is a little wonky for me. Like… I definitely get strong urges from it, sure, but the idea of mating freaks me out as a boy harpy and all that. Still trying to figure out how it works. Laying eggs sucks enough as is.”

“I guess I get that,” Leaf agreed. “Doesn’t matter what you want if your body or mind is terrified by the idea of it actually happening.” 

“Yeah, exactly! I’m not gonna pretend I’m not all worked up…” Gio started hopping from foot to foot, as though to burn off some energy. “...but, and I mean this in the nicest way possible, you’re not really in the mating pool.”

Leaf laughed quietly. The harpy looked like a soccer player as he bounced around, and it was admittedly entertaining.

“And also, no offense, but, if I tried to act on urges during the full moon, I’d probably destroy you. You saw what happened to the door back there.” He laughed as if it was all in good fun.

Leaf’s eyes widened, but she looked him over and decided he wasn’t entirely wrong: his thighs were thick and muscular beneath the feathers and his talons were easily the size of her forearms, not to mention razor-sharp. She didn’t know if death by talons or viper constriction would be worse. 

“But anyways,” Gio continued, “they’ve probably tired out for the night. Odds are, they won’t remember anything in the morning. Lots of liminals don’t. If you want I can keep guard just to make sure, though.”

His host considered the offer. “It _has_ been kind of a crazy night… Would you mind?”

Gio bounced to his other foot once more. “For sure! I’ll sleep against the door so nobody’s trying to bust in.”

Leaf smiled and collapsed into the soft sheets. “Thanks, Gio. I really appreciate it. ...Oh, and one more thing,” she noted as she closed her eyes.

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“If uh… for some reason the urges get too bad and you need to burn off energy, you have my total permission to leave the house for a run. Just lock up before you go.”


	16. Loopholes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"...From now on, I’m keeping track of lunar cycles and we are all absolutely going to bed early on full moon nights. Also, I'm locking my door."_  
>   
>  As Sierra and Corin nurse their full-moon hangovers, Thomson visits to deliver some good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If we're being completely honest, this chapter could be seen as skippable as it mostly serves to explain away a few things now that we have more liminals in the house. Gotta fill in those potential plotholes.
> 
> That said, it's also a pretty Thomson-heavy chapter, and she doesn't get to come by much. I do love her.

“I can’t _believe you left that out!”_ _  
_ On the other end of the call Thomson sounded intensely apologetic, though she had already mounted a defense.

“I know, Leaf, I’m _so sorry…_ there’s a lot of ground to cover as a coordinator, y’know. Occasionally something slips through the cracks.”

Leaf rubbed her arms, sore from being bound by Sierra’s tail the night before. “I mean I’m not like, _pissed_ or anything… Just, that’s kind of a big deal. I didn’t know they’d be trying to have _babies.”_ She paused to consider the logistics, but quickly decided it was better not to pursue that train of thought.

“I knowww, I know. I can’t apologize enough for this. Let me make it up to you, yeah? I’ve got a few ideas.”

Leaf found it amusing how quickly she had gotten their coordinator to figuratively let her hair down. Hell, she was even calling Leaf by her first name now. It was clear that the job put her under a fair amount of stress, so it felt nice to help her relax.

Sierra and Corin were on the living room sectional nursing massive headaches, when Leaf came into the room with antidotes.

“So, full moons give you hangovers, huh? I _kinda_ feel like you deserve it.” With a smirk, she set down a glass of water next to each of them along with some pills. “Thomson said these are safe for you two to have, so it should help your headache a little. Also she’s swinging by a little later today, so maybe try to look alive when it happens.” She looked at Corin, who was whimpering and massaging her head with her claws. From a few feet away, Sierra groaned.

“Okay, I’ll bite… what did I do last night? All I know is that my doorknob was busted."  
Sprawled lazily across a nearby chair in perfect spirits, Gio raised a wing.   
“Actually, that was my bad. I’ll get it fixed for ya!”  
_How? You can’t even hold a screwdriver,_ Leaf thought.

“I just remember going to take a bath and that’s about it,” Corin recollected in a rather pathetic tone. “Miss Leaf, did anything bad happen?”

 _Yeah, you both tried to mount me last night and I’m not really sure how my will surpassed my libido._ Leaf gave a shrug. “...Nothing worth mentioning, really. But from now on, I’m keeping track of lunar cycles and we are all absolutely going to bed early on full moon nights. Also, I’m locking my door. Maybe with a deadbolt.” _And pushing the bedframe against it,_ she added mentally.

Thomson indeed came by later that day, and as it turns out she wasn’t bluffing when she said she’d make it up to them. Leaf met her out in the gravel drive, where she was pulling a massive cylindrical container out of the backseat.

“Uhh… what’s this?” It seemed to be cheaply made, covered in minimalist images of bats and jack-o-lanterns.

Thomson held it out, nearly forcing it into Leaf’s arms. “Giant popcorn tin,” she said plainly, as though it were obvious. “That’s not all, don’t worry. I’ve got bigger.”

Leaf blinked in confusion, her arms suddenly full. “Uh, bigger?” The coordinator shook her head as she pulled a few more things from the car, including yet another tin.

“Figuratively. I’ll tell you once we get inside.”

* * *

“Okay, so, let’s get started. Number one…” 

Thomson, seated in one of the chairs in the living room, patted the two giant tins beside her, creating a strange reverberation. “These are for you all. I know it’s not much, but Leaf said you were watching a bunch of movies this month and I thought it’d be nice to have.” 

Frankly, it almost seemed a silly gesture to Leaf; these were everywhere in the fall and winter season, and nothing special at all. In fact, they were one of the most generic seasonal thank-you gifts one could receive. _Although,_ she pondered, _something plain and silly to Thomson and I tends to seem nice and fun to them, so who am I to judge?_

“Then a few things for you in particular,” Thomson continued as she passed the plastic bag to Leaf. “On my way down here I went ahead and bought a replacement doorknob for you. Clearly we want Sierra to have full privacy again, and like I said, this kind of comes down to my fault. Also in the bag are sleeping pills that are approved by the FDA to be effective for most liminals. Just in case any of you would like to sleep through the next full moon instead of tearing down the house,” she turned to the homestays and chuckled. “I’m not sure the program would be willing to cover rebuilding the whole cabin, after all.”

Leaf hadn’t really expected anything, even when Thomson said she would make it up to her. But it was clear she took her job as a civil servant very importantly, and that included accepting blame where necessary. “Well… thanks,” Leaf looked between the bag and her coordinator. “That’s super nice of you, actually.”

With a smile, the coordinator nodded.  
“Next is much bigger. Remember our conversation about needing better transport?”  
Leaf did, of course; when they had met to talk about housing Gio, she had brought up how difficult it was to transport even just two liminals in her car. It wasn’t too pressing before, but agreeing to a third homestay definitely meant an upgrade.

“The program’s willing to procure a van for you, with cut costs for trading in your current vehicle. Frankly, if I know them they’ll probably just cover the rest of the cost itself.”

“Wait, I don’t even have to _look_ for a car? Thomson, what the hell, that’s amazing!” Leaf was stunned; she debated whether or not jumping up to hug her coordinator would be considered inappropriate.

“And speaking of finances, there’s one more thing, and it’s another significant one. It applies to all four of you.”

Thomson set her binder on the table and flipped it open, removing some documents slipped in the interior pocket that seemed to have photo scans of the homestays’ program IDs, and… a _lot_ of writing.

“I’ve been hard at work on this one, and I’ve been really trying to push this through because I know hosting several liminals can be a major drain on funds even _with_ reimbursement. Anyway, it just got greenlit Saturday so I can finally tell you.”

Gio and the girls leaned in curiously. Leaf was especially interested if it would relieve stress on her budget; coding worked well enough for her own needs, but it wasn’t enough to support a growing house.   
Thomson cleared her throat, reciting information dutifully.

“In the Interspecies Exchange Program it’s asked that students obtain employment or some form of paid internship during part of their homestay, to help further immerse themselves in a societal role as well as gain regular income during their stay. I’m sure the three of you know about that, and it’s obviously it’s still early enough in your stay that I don’t expect any of you to have started to worry about such a thing.”

Corin nodded diligently. “Of course. But what does this have to do with anything?” She looked from the papers to Gio beside her, who shrugged.

Thomson adjusted her glasses. “Typically, even though it’s… admittedly unfair, a host family that is more wealthy can offer to support their homestay however they need financially, and exempt the work requirement. But there’s also a rarely utilized clause in the Exchange Bill that allows for exemption for students that meet _other_ certain criteria. Say… living in an area that doesn’t have many employment opportunities for humans, let alone liminals. Somewhere rural.”

“Somewhere like Lake Callery?” Leaf questioned. Thomson smiled in response; she was glad they were on the same page.

 _“Precisely._ This clause allows valid liminals that apply for exemption to receive a monthly stipend from the government as part of the program. A mild base income, essentially.”

From across the table, Gio leaned forwards, elbows on his knees. His brow furrowed as he rested his head on his wings. “I’m a little embarrassed, but I think I’m the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on. So… can you explain this like I’m a hatchling?”

“What I’m saying,” Thomson replied cheerfully, “is that if you can’t work because there’s nowhere close _to_ work, you can receive money from the program instead. All you’d have to do is apply and submit it to your coordinator, who does the rest.”

Gio nodded happily, now that he totally got it. Sierra, reclined with her arms resting on the back of the couch, had an impressed look upon her face. The others took notice, as they all knew that “impressed” was not something that Sierra felt often.

“Which is _you,”_ she calculated, tonguing the inside of her lips idly between her thoughts. Finally, her mouth curled into a smirk. “You slick bitch.”

Thomson, admittedly, looked very proud of herself. Leaf wasn’t immediately on board, however.

“That sounds risky,” she wavered. “I don’t want you to get in trouble trying to exploit loopholes for us.” Maybe she’d taught their coordinator to lighten up a little _too_ much.

Shaking her head, Thomson reaffirmed her stance. “It’s perfectly legally safe; I should know. Coordinators are selected by the government but we come from all walks of life. I’m actually a lawyer, or rather, that was my job prior to this. I’ve double- and triple-checked it and it’s easy to do if you know the nuances of the system, especially for you all. In fact, your reasons are twofold: not only is Lake Callery a much smaller community with fewer opportunities, but well…”   
Her face showed a sense of resignation with the politics behind it all. “The program is definitely more willing to consider for liminals that struggle with being seen by the public in the same way as… kobolds, for example.”

All four of the cabin’s residents knew what she meant: even if they lived in a more urban area, there was no guarantee that businesses would be keen on hiring a venomous serpent or a girl with huge claws. To compound this, liminal discrimination policies weren’t clear enough yet and “it would be bad for business” was enough of an excuse for most businesses to get away with dicey hiring policies.

Thomson stacked the papers against the table to align the pages before setting them down again. “Anyway, I’m clearly not going to pressure any of you if you’re uncertain, but when you decide just let me know and I can get it all started. Leaf, I’m clearly not going to pressure you either, but just know it’ll be fine.”

“I appreciate it,” Leaf nodded. “Really. You’re doing… way more than you need to, for us. I’m honestly kind of taken aback.”

“Oh don’t worry about it, it’s far from the first time we’ve had to upgrade someone’s car. As for the stipend, it’s like I said, something like this is an easy legal hurdle. If you do anything that breaks the program rules it’ll probably rain hell, but otherwise this is nothing.”

If she didn’t know any better, Leaf would’ve thought that the coordinator was starting to genuinely consider her a friend.

“Well, fuck yeah, I’m in,” Sierra said brashly as she rose from her seat. “You don’t have to ask me twice, just let me know where to sign.” Her body gently slid over the couch on her way to the kitchen, baffling Leaf. _How does she have that much control? I would’ve tripped and died…_

“What’re you doing, Sierra?”  
The clinking of bottles from the top cabinet rang from the other room, along with the echidna’s voice.  
“Lovely Miss Thomson just did us a huge solid, so I’m celebrating. Anybody else? Thomson, you want in?”

Gio gave a thumbs-up from his seat, while Corin turned and chimed, “yes please!” Their coordinator was flattered, but waved her hand to decline.

“I appreciate it, but I’m the one who has to drive somewhere. Maybe another time.”

Over the telltale sound of drinks being poured in the kitchen, Sierra called back. “Suit yourself! Heh. Get it? You’re a suit!”  
“Oh yes, I get it, thank you, really.”

With a smile, Leaf rolled her eyes at the two’s back-and-forth and stood to escort Thomson back to her car. As she and Sierra made eye contact, she shrugged in defeat.  
“Count me in too, I guess.”

_“Ayyy, atta girl!”_


	17. They Only Come Out at Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Miss Leaf, what are you doing?! It could be the killer!”_  
>   
>  It's the last night of the group's horror movie marathon, but there are many things that go bump in the night...

October 30th. The night before Halloween, which the residents of the cabin had reserved as their remembrance day. It felt only proper, then, that their final movie viewing on Devil's Night be the film named for the season itself. 

Corin had her arms wrapped tightly around Gio’s wing as she peered out from behind her claws. She had been jumpy through most of their movies, which amused Sierra to no end; on the other hand _she_ found herself cheering at many of the bloodiest scenes across their horror journey. During a few particularly gory moments, Leaf was almost certain that she saw the echidna drooling.

“Oh, he’s fucking _dead,”_ Sierra said with building excitement. Over the last two weeks she had grown intimately familiar with horror tropes: if two teens had just boned down, they would be dead within minutes. _No sexy deed goes unpunished,_ she thought.

As the boy onscreen was pinned to the wall by the Shape’s knife, Sierra burst into a yell. _“Yeaaahaha!_ That _rules,_ he’s dangling in the air!” Gio pulled Corin close and obscured her eyes with his feathers as the echidna jeered at the now-dead teen. “Now it’s time for his girlfriend!” 

Leaf was a little put off by Sierra’s reaction to the kills when their marathon started, but by this point it amused her. It was nice to see all of them enjoying the movies in their own distinct way.

The door to the bedroom opened, with the girl lying seductively on the bed.  
_“Nooo, it’s the killer, run!”_ Corin cried at the TV. The music was low, the buildup intense. The ingénue onscreen turned away from the disguised murderer, and…

**_FWAM!_ **

The foursome all jumped simultaneously as Corin shrieked. _Something_ hit the glass door to their left.  
For a long, quiet moment they stared toward the back deck to see if they could discern any movement. Even Sierra, with her senses able to detect heat, caught nothing. Leaf rose to her feet and began to cross the room.

“Miss Leaf, what are you doing?!” Corin whimpered. “It could be the killer!”  
Leaf turned back to the scared mantid. “It’s probably just a little bird that hit the window or something. Don’t worry, y’all know how few people live around here.” She gave a reassuring smile as she grabbed the handle.

“Mm, I dunno about that… a bird this late? It would have to be an owl or something,” Gio noted. “You want one of us to come with?”

Leaf paused to deliberate, a move that made Corin anxious as she was standing next to a half open door. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. Sierra, do you mind?”  
Nodding, Sierra’s hunter instincts kicked in. She was ready to protect and, if need be, kill.

Leaf took her first step onto the deck, and as soon Sierra started moving to join her everyone froze. Another sound came from the roof. A minute later they would realize it was the sound of something running across the roof and jumping to the ground below; unfortunately, it happened fast enough that none of them had time to process it.

 _tikkatikkatik..._ **_WHUMP!_ ** **  
** _“LEAF!!”_

Before Leaf could close the door, something large, clawed and monstrous tackled her out of sight on the deck.

As fast as her body would allow, Sierra sprang through the thin opening of the sliding door with Gio following close behind. Corin trembled on the couch, now alone.

“But… the killer…” she whimpered. All of the deaths in their horror movie marathon flashed through her head. What would happen if Miss Leaf died? Would they be relocated? Would they be _blamed?_ She couldn’t bear the thought of being reassigned but the thought of being charged with her host’s death was beyond horrible.

“No…I must be strong like I told Miss Sierra! I _will_ protect Miss Leaf!!” She ran after the others as fast as she could.

As the others rushed out, Leaf was slowly lifting herself onto her elbows.  
“Leaf, oh my gods are you okay?!” Sierra gasped in a panic. She checked her host for wounds as Gio alertly scanned the darkness.

“I’m fine, Sierra,” Leaf groaned, “just a little scraped up.” Gradually, she rose to her feet again and continued. “I have no idea what the hell that was… Something big and heavy tackled me and had me pinned for a moment, but it ran off…”

Joining Gio in his surveillance, Sierra scanned the night around them as Corin stood guard before Leaf, her claws held in the most threatening stance she could muster.

“Anything?”  
“Nothing,” Sierra growled. “There’s no heat signatures out here besides our own.” This didn’t do much to assuage any of them, particularly Corin, but they wouldn’t let their guard down.

Gio sighed, trying not to give up hope. “I say we go back inside,” he proposed. “We’ll still stick together, and as long as we stay alert and protect each other through the night we’ll be fine.”

The others nodded. “He’s right. No splitting up. Let’s go,” Sierra commanded, grabbing Leaf by the wrist and waving the other two in before her.

“Sierra, you don’t have to—”

“Protect you? Nuh-uh kid, you know how I operate. You’re not leaving my sight tonight.” Leaf had intended to say _“you don’t have to hold my hand”;_ she wasn’t actually opposed to the idea of being guarded by her first homestay, though this evening it actually made her feel like a burden. Regardless, she nodded and the two reentered, locking the glass door behind them.

“If it’s okay with you guys…” Corin offered quietly, “I don’t think we should keep watching the movie.” Everyone agreed: they would keep their volume down as much as possible so they could hear any further noises, and the movie could wait until morning.

After an hour or two of heightened anxiety, Gio and Sierra offered to take turns keeping an eye out while the others slept. Sierra offered to go first, as her vision would be helpful in the immediate aftermath.

The first watch remained uneventful; the living area was quiet and there were no major heat fluctuations approaching from outside whatsoever. Early on in her shift she only became distracted once, when she turned to observe the others sleeping on the floor and saw Corin’s head laying gently in Leaf’s lap.

“Tch. _Harlot,”_ she muttered. Eventually, Sierra felt drowsiness take control and had to wake Gio to take over for her. As she lay down, she curled her tail around the perimeter of Leaf’s body. Even in sleep she needed to feel protective.

The harpy bounced from talon to talon to wake himself up more (on the rug, as his feet were fairly loud on hardwood) while he aimlessly looked around. “Don’t really see anything,” he said softly to himself, “but I’m ready.”

Gio maintained his back-and-forth hopping for forty minutes or so, until a slight clicking noise arose. He looked down to ensure that he was, in fact, still on the rug. _Yep, not me,_ he thought plainly. _Huh._ Gently, he reached a foot back and clicked his talon on the hardwood floor near Sierra’s head, who was immediately roused. Cautiously, she rose and the two of them listened intently together. After taking a moment to pin down the source, Sierra extended a clawed finger and silently pointed to the loft. For the sake of noise, she would have to check it out alone.

Subtle movement was one of Sierra’s many specialties. Clutching a flashlight in her hand she slid quietly up the banister, and as she peered above the ledge at the first opportunity… she saw something.

Something large and black. Something sharp.

Something heaving slowly, a gentle _click_ coming from it every now and then.

Turning the flashlight to face the others, she flipped it on and off in a quick burst. Gio nodded and gently nudged the girls with his foot, waking them quietly. As they looked up at him, he held a claw to his mouth, urging silence.

 _Gods, I don’t like this… but I don’t have a choice,_ Sierra thought as she assumed a far taller stance. She was able to see the heat emanating from the creature, but it wasn’t always easy for serpentines to make out a clear shape. With a long deep breath, she flicked the flashlight on, shouting _“DON’T MOVE!”_ as she did so.

In her surprise, she let out a yelp; the others immediately rushed up the stairs with Gio jumping clear over the banister to land next to her. As Corin reached them, she looked where the light shone and screamed.

Before the four of them was a young girl with long, tangled black hair that draped over her face. Her clothes were dirty and ragged. Corin latched onto Leaf, terrified that the girl from the videotape had come to kill them at last, à la _The Ring._

 _“Miss Leaf I don’t wanna dieeeee!”_ she whined, her tough fingers squeezing a little too hard. Wincing, Leaf saw the intruder’s arms seemed to be covered in a tough, dark material.

“Wait, wait… look.”

Beneath the girl was a large, huddled red-black mass, six sharp curled legs pushing it into the corner away from them. No, not just beneath her; it _was_ her lower half, and the same color as her forearms. _An arachne? No…_ Leaf looked closer at the lower half and saw two more long limbs, ending in claws that were clicking anxiously. As they stood there, confused and frightened, the girl spoke from beneath the mess of hair.

_“...Please… don’t… hurt me…”_

* * *

The four stared at the girl as she stood before them uncomfortably. With the lights on, they finally had a better look at her, and the stinger gave it away: from the waist down, her body was that of a scorpion. After assuring her that they didn’t intend on hurting her at all, Leaf was able to coax her down to the living area so they could figure out what was going on.

“Do you mind moving your hair out of your face for me, honey?” Leaf’s maternal instinct was virtually nonexistent and the girl didn’t seem _that_ young, but seeing someone looking as rough as she did piqued her empathy.

Slowly, the girl nodded and tried her best to get the hair out of the way, her rigid, pointed fingers occasionally tangling in the process. Once done, she looked up at Leaf, six red eyes blinking timidly. The girl looked to be in her mid teens. Leaf tilted her head. “So, what do we call you? What’s your name?”

“Uhm… I don’t really have one,” she said softly. Her voice had a slight roughness to it.  
“No name?” Leaf questioned. “Huh. Nothing your family called you when you were little, anything like that? 

The girl raised a jointed finger to her mouth and thought for a moment.  
“Chel’oideiamneh’qa,” she nodded.

Leaf paused awkwardly. “...I _see._ That one might be a little hard for me, admittedly.”  
From the other side of the couch, Corin gave a slight bow.  
“A pleasure to meet you, Chel’oideiamneh’qa. You’re a serket, correct?”

The empusa hadn’t even paused; the pronunciation sounded completely natural from her, as though she already knew the name. Leaf shot a glance across the sectional. 

“Way to show me up,” she mumbled to herself. “A serket?”  
“A scorpion liminal. Similar to arachne,” Corin recited. Leaf nodded and turned, addressing their intruder again.   
“Huh. Okay, so… what are you doing out here without your host family?”

The girl looked down at the ground. Her claws, which existed in place of a humanoid set of legs, fidgeted with each other. “My host family…?”

Gio chimed in, nodding with a kind smile. “Yeah! Your host family is the human you stay with.”  
She thought for a moment more.  
“I don’t have one of those.”

“No host family? I don’t buy it.” Sierra crossed her arms, looking at their guest skeptically.  
_“Sierra, please…”_ Leaf whispered to her. The echidna continued undeterred.  
“I mean, from everything I’ve gathered, getting through US customs is hard as hell. So if you’re telling me you somehow got past _that_ without anyone taking notice, I can’t say I believe you.”  
Leaf hated to admit it, but this was… logically pretty sound. She was inclined to agree.

“If you don’t have a host family currently, that’s fine. But surely you must have gotten here somehow, right?” She felt like she was playing ‘good cop’, and she didn’t particularly like it.

The serket looked away, answering quietly. “He doesn’t matter anymore.”

Gio and Leaf exchanged a worried look; finally, Leaf patted her knees and stood up.

“Would you like me to help you get cleaned up? You look like you could use a hot bath.”

The others looked at her warily.  
“Leaf, you sure about that?” a startled Sierra asked quietly.

“It’s been a long day, and we could all use some sleep for real. Let’s call it a night, and in the morning we’ll go from there.” Leaf turned to the scorpion girl and held out a hand. “C’mon. I’ll get you a towel and everything. You’re gonna love it.”

The girl raised herself up onto her legs, bringing her height to barely over five feet. With a moment of hesitation, she took Leaf’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween, my loves! I hope you enjoyed this one, I had a lot of fun with it.  
> "but wait, why does she only have six legs, scorpions are arachnids, she should have eight PLUS claws" you may ask, or you may not because you're normal and not an animal nut. It's because her humanoid arms are the last pair. That's all.
> 
> As a heads-up, things are... gonna get fairly heavy for the next three chapters; I'll be putting some content warnings in the pre-chapter notes as needed.


	18. Open Serket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"The other three. The demihumans. ...Do they live here with you?"_  
>   
>  The serket girl tries to trust Leaf; in the process, Leaf learns a little more about her as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of / implied abuse**  
>   
>  As I said at the tail end of the last chapter, we're gonna deal with some heavy topics for chapters 18-20. But once we get to chapter 21 I'll bring some levity and lightheartedness back in, I swear! The night is darkest before the dawn, or whatever harvey birdman said. idk.

The serket looked around, drawing an awestruck and intimidated breath as Leaf prepped a bath for her. She had never seen a bathing area so large, not indoors at least, and everything was so… _clean._

“I know it’s a bath and all, but if you’re not comfortable you don’t have to strip down. I’m not gonna push that on you,” Leaf noted gently. “You seem like you’ve been through a lot so it’s not my place. I can offer you a swimsuit or something though, if you’d like.”

The girl studied Leaf intently. The human seemed to be kind, harboring no obvious ill will toward liminals, but this had gotten her burned before. _But… there are other demihumans in the house as well. They seemed to be okay…_

Without a word, the girl’s six chitinous legs slowly carried her to the edge and she climbed into the water, ragged clothes still on. Leaf followed suit, wearing a pair of gym shorts and a tank top herself.

 _The water…_ The scorpion girl couldn’t get much sensation from her exoskeleton, but as soon as her humanoid hips touched the surface she inhaled softly. _It's so warm… so relaxing,_ she thought.

Leaf sat on the raised edge of the bath beside the girl, an assortment of toiletries gathered next to her. In a soft, caring voice she tried to direct her. “Do me a favor and dip your head real quick? We’ll start with your hair.”

She cautiously obliged, and as she came back up Leaf began lathering her tangled hair with shampoo.  
“We’re probably gonna be washing it several times to get it all back to normal, if you’re okay with that.” She worked her fingers through, gently untangling what she could, as she tried to learn more about the girl.

“Remind me of your name, again?”  
“Chel’oideiamneh’qa,” she reiterated softly, "but that was back home. The last human I met didn’t bother to call me _anything_ .”   
“Does it mean something?” Leaf asked curiously.  
“It means ‘daughter of Deiamneh’qa’.”

Leaf’s fingers paused against her scalp. “I guess that would do it, huh.”  
The girl shook her head quietly. “I’m not really attached to it. That was my dad’s name, and he wasn’t exactly great, so.”

“Hmm. What about ‘Chelle’?”

“Chelle?”  
Leaf nodded, caressing her scalp gently. She wanted the girl to feel absolutely pampered, with how dirty and scared she had been when she arrived.

“Yeah! It’s obviously not exact, but it could just be like… a simpler version of ‘daughter’, dropping your dad's name and keeping the spirit of it. If you want, I mean.”

“... I like it. _Chelle…”_ It was the first time even the hint of a smile had crossed her face in the last hour or so.

A look of shock sprang up on the host’s face.  
“Oh my gosh, wait, did I not introduce myself? I’m so sorry, I’m Leaf.”  
“...Thank you, Leaf.”

As Leaf finished up a second wash of her hair, Chelle shifted her body a bit, her tail swaying gently. Leaf leaned back, keeping wary of the stinger.  
“Are you okay? Do you need a break?”  
Shaking her head in response, the scorpion girl settled back down. “Just trying to get comfortable. I’m not used to long baths like this.” She paused as if thinking about it; Leaf could tell she had meant the comment in a gracious way.  
“...Leaf, I have a question.”

“Sure, shoot.”

“The other three. The demihumans.” Chelle was staring forward at the wall.  
Leaf listened intently. “Hm? What about them?”  
“Do they live here with you?”

To Chelle’s surprise, she nodded. “They do. They’re part of an exchange program, and I’m their host family. They stay here and through the program they learn more about human culture. I’ve learned a lot from them too.” Leaf began to smile as she was speaking. “And honestly, it’s been really nice to have other people around the house.”

There was a soft quiet, and Chelle looked down into water before her next question.

“...Are they… happy?”

This took Leaf off guard. Are they _happy?_ She mulled over how to respond.

“I mean… I think so, I’d _hope_ so, but you’d have to ask them,” she said openly. “They seem content and we all get along well, so… yeah. Gun to my head, I think they’re really happy. I know I am.”

“Mm,” Chelle hesitated quietly. “Okay.” She thought for a moment, then turned to Leaf. “I think… I trust you. You'll help me wash?” The look on her face was cautious and full of humility.

Leaf moved back a few inches and nodded, trying to emphasize the girl's agency in the situation. “As long as you’re comfortable with it. It’s entirely your decision.”

After a deep breath, Chelle slowly lifted her ragged shirt above her head and lightly tossed it out of the bath. She then reached for her waistline, where a buckle kept what was more or less a modified skirt in place. There weren’t many options for liminals like arachne and serkets when it came to bottom coverage, so most made do with something wraparound that draped in front.

As she clicked the buckle she blushed, holding the garment in place for a moment. Her many eyes allowed her to look in her periphery, where she could see Leaf’s reaction without turning to face her.

To her surprise, Leaf had her eyes closed and her head tilted downward.  
 _She really is respectful,_ Chelle thought to herself as she removed the skirt.  
“...I’m ready.”

Leaf nodded dutifully and lifted her head, opening her eyes once more. Chelle looked fairly embarrassed, her hands covering her petite chest as well as between her legs (or more accurately, her claws).

“You can keep covering, it’s okay. I’m actually kinda scared of people seeing my body too,” she assured the girl kindly, but matter-of-factly. “I’ll start with your back?”

As Leaf helped scrub the large amounts of dirt from Chelle's tan skin, she began to notice markings on her back. There were three small circles that appeared to be made of scar tissue, as well as a fair number of thin, raised lines criss-crossing in varied directions. They were almost like… _lashes._ Knowing better than to inquire, she continued her work, adding a gentle caveat. ”Please let me know if you get uncomfortable or if I accidentally hurt you.”

Over the next twenty minutes or so Leaf scrubbed the girl clean from head to tail, with the exception of the sensitive areas where she offered agency to the girl to wash herself. The exoskeleton was easier than expected; its hardness meant that any dirt came off relatively easy. _Like washing a car,_ Leaf thought to herself, amused.

As they finished, Leaf helped dry the girl off and escorted her to one of the mirrors by the showerheads.

“Now I’m not a miracle worker, but I think you look a hell of a lot better now,” she prefaced. On the other hand, based on her earlier appearance there was no telling when the last time Chelle looked in a mirror would have been.

The two of them looked at the reflection, and Chelle’s breath faltered. Her hair had been so matted and tangled that she had nearly forgotten what it was like to feel clean. Now it cascaded down her neck and along her shoulders, nearly fully straight save for some splits that could use trimming. Her olive skin nearly shone in its softness, and the touch of her body and face were so infinitely smooth compared to how they had been. She was nearly unrecognizable— or, at least, from the waist up.

Naturally, Leaf didn’t have any clothes designed for arachnids of any kind, so she improvised and offered an oversized tee to sleep in while Chelle’s clothes were washed. The girl was fairly small so it proved a good enough method. Once she had changed, they made their way back into the living area.

As it turned out, the others had not gone to bed; rather, they were still sitting in the living room waiting.   
“You guys are still up? Why?”

Sierra, laying on her stomach across the full length of the sectional, raised an eyebrow as she propped herself up onto her elbows.  
“Someone breaks into your house, scares the hell out of us, goes into the bathhouse with you all alone… and you want us to sleep? Come on now. You should’ve known better.” 

Leaf shrugged. “I guess that _does_ make sense, huh.” She looked at her phone for the first time since she had gone outside, and groaned: **2:45AM.  
** _God, tomorrow night I may as well pay tribute to the sleep I’ve lost, too…  
_ Behind her, there was an anxious clicking of claws.

“Oh! Right, sorry… I should probably introduce everyone. Sierra, Corin, Gio… meet Chelle.”

  
_(Art of Chelle by[@ink.bubbles](https://www.instagram.com/ink.bubbles/) on Instagram.)_

  
As the serket stood before them, the trio tried to process that this was in fact the same girl they had found hiding in the loft. After a moment, Chelle looked away, rubbing her arm nervously.

“Uhm. Please don’t stare at me, I feel like I’m in a zoo.”

Corin quickly apologized for everyone before announcing how pretty the girl looked. Gio enthusiastically agreed; Sierra, on the other hand, was impressed by their host's clean-up job.

“Damn Leaf, I didn’t know you had it in you,” she grinned. “So when ya gonna bathe _me,_ huh?” 

“Shut it,” Leaf glared with a smile, refusing to give Sierra the satisfaction of a laugh. “Anyway… Chelle and I talked for a while, and I trust her. I don’t want any of you to worry for the rest of the night, okay? Let’s go to bed for real now, and we can discuss everything in the morning. Sound good?”

They agreed, though everyone decided to sleep in the living room that night. Leaf didn’t say anything, but she was fairly certain it was because the others felt safer with everyone together. After all, it had been an intense night, and it was possible that they still felt a bit wary of Chelle.

* * *

Morning came, and as the sun began to rise, Leaf stepped out on the back deck. Gio had been the first to wake as usual, and he figured he would do her the favor of waking her so she could do her morning routine before the others got up.

This morning, however, she thought to delay it and enjoy the fall ambiance. Much like Halloween had slipped her mind, Leaf hadn’t really been able to stop and take in the season. The crunchy brown leaves that coated the ground were her favorite; she leaned against the railing, watching more drop from the trees every now and then. _Maybe there’s still time to really make this a nice fall,_ she thought as a chill ran through her body. ... _Before it gets too cold, at least._

Behind her, the glass door slid gently open.  
“Uhm. Good morning, Leaf.”

Leaf turned around to see the serket girl, looking a bit nervous.  
“Good morning, Chelle. Did you sleep okay?”

Chelle walked up beside her and looked at the lake before them. “Eh. Not a lot. I’m nocturnal, actually. So I was awake most of the night.”

“Oh.” Leaf wouldn’t have guessed, but it definitely made sense. She hadn’t really met a nocturnal liminal, but she assumed there had to be many, despite their part-human appearances.

“I actually… wanted to ask you something,” Chelle muttered. As her voice trailed off, Leaf turned to face her.  
“What’s up?”

Chelle continued watching the lake, its gentle ripples moving slowly to the edge. She admired it; it was so simple and serene.

“...The person I was with before…”  
“Your old host family?” Leaf inquired softly. Chelle shook her head.

“No. It wasn’t a host family. I wanted more than anything to leave home, and… he was traveling with some organization that had come to our village for trade. He said he’d take me with him. And so I left. Without telling dad, or anyone else. I was finally getting out, I thought it was too good to be true, and… it was.

“I stayed with him and once I got here… he turned out to be bad. In a lot of different ways. Just… it was hell. And it took forever but once I found an opening, the _only_ opening, I ran away. I ran as far as I could. But I had to stay low because of the strict laws about demihumans. I couldn’t… go anywhere, without the risk of being sent off again. And I didn’t know if there was even one person I could trust after him: that one human, the only one I’d actually met and spoken to before last night…

"So that’s why I asked you if the others were happy. I don’t want to push anything and I understand it’s difficult, but you’ve been really nice to me and I just… need to ask.”

Leaf had been watching and listening intently to every facet of the story. She already knew what Chelle wanted to ask, and she answered before the question even left the girl's lips.

“Chelle, you can stay here. Absolutely, without question.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Chelle, and I would absolutely die for her. That’s all I have to say here.


	19. The Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Sometimes we can do everything right and still have something bad happen. Does that make sense?”_  
>   
>  Leaf calls the only person she knows that might be able to help Chelle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of / implied abuse**  
>   
>  I'll be doing some character spotlights in the endnotes of the next several chapters, with reference pics, character info & inspirations, and lore that I hadn't elaborated on in the story. We'll start with Leaf today!

“And you’re absolutely sure about this.”

Sierra was helping her host with breakfast by cooking the eggs— although it tended to be trouble as she felt constantly tempted to eat them, raw or not.

Leaf, withdrawing a massive amount of bacon from the freezer, responded plainly. “I am. And I hope you respect my decision with that.” She wanted to enforce how strongly she felt about it. Sierra just shrugged as she flipped the eggs in her pan around.  
“You’re the boss, boss. You gonna call Thomson?”

“I’ve been debating it. That’s the right move, isn’t it?”  
“I suppose so. But the girl’s not technically _legal,_ so it’s hard to actually say.”

Leaf had grown a little closer to Thomson and hoped in the back of her mind that her legal prowess would help them out, but Sierra had a point: there was really no way to know for sure. She’d call after breakfast, just to test the waters.

* * *

The alto of Thomson’s voice, softened over the last two months, answered after half a ring. “Leaf, good to hear from you. I was actually planning on calling you shortly. What can I do for you?”

_She was gonna call me?_

“I had a question about liminal law, mostly.” Leaf side-eyed Sierra, who gave a thumbs up— they hoped if she kept if vague enough that it would go more smoothly.

“Oh, excellent, my forte. What’s going on? Wait, you didn't… _sleep with_ one of the homestays, did you?”  
“What?! No, absolutely not!!”   
Sierra had no idea what her host was responding to so adamantly, but her face was a bright red, which made her giggle. Flustered, Leaf continued as she carefully spoke the words she had rehearsed ahead of time.

“I saw something online regarding liminals that hadn’t been formally identified by the government yet. Can people actually take them in as homestays if a situation arises, since they’re technically undocumented?” 

She heard the loud clacking of a mechanical keyboard on the other end of the line. “Oh god, Leaf, you don’t have a slime there, do you? I’d keep distance until you know more about what kind. Could be poisonous.”

“No, no, nothing like that. I’m just genuinely curious.”

Thomson thought about it for a moment. “I mean, it’s been done before, I suppose… At the very least we’ve had to whip up some licenses on the fly until more is known about their species, and just keep a closer eye on them in the meantime.”

“I got it. That makes sense, thanks.” As she paced the kitchen, Leaf glanced out to the back deck where Corin was sitting in fascinated discussion with Chelle. “Oh yeah… why were you gonna call?”

“Right, well,” Thomson typed away on the other end once more, “we got the transport situation taken care of for you, and if you’re available today I was going to come by and drop it off.”

“Oh, that’s perfect actually!” Leaf replied, cutting her eyes to Sierra once more. “Um… You may have already gathered this, but… when you come by, can we assume that the answer to my question about homestays is a ‘yes’, and you bring anything necessary for that situation?”

The coordinator chuckled. “Oh, don’t worry, I figured as much. Been pulling it up as we spoke. I’ll see you in a few hours, Leaf.”

In the interim, Leaf sat Chelle down to tell her about Ms. Thomson, and how she was (more or less) a friend who was excellent with getting liminals situated in the program.

“You don’t have to tell her everything you told me, but I _would_ advise you to be on good behavior and to be honest with her. You wanna think of it as an interview. Maximize your chances, y’know?”  
Chelle nodded. “I got it. Good impressions.” She’d donned her tattered skirt again now that it was clean, and was wearing one of Leaf’s shirts, a light blue tee with neon-light triangles scattered across the front. In the serket’s opinion, it was _far_ too bright.

* * *

Leaf waited outside for Thomson as usual, and although the idea of a larger vehicle excited her with the potential of all five of them taking trips together, she couldn’t help but also feel like a soccer mom. The thought took wings in her mind and before she knew it, she was daydreaming again. _Gio would be a natural, of course…_ She thought of Sierra trying to ‘run’ across a field, then settled on her being a perfect goalie due to her flexibility. _Corin would probably just be scared of the ball, though. And…_ she pictured the scorpion girl skittering down the field on her thin sharp legs. _Can Chelle even kick? Could she use her claws? I mean, technically they’re not hands, so it’s probably fine… Her tail would just pop the ball, right?_

She was snapped out of it by the arrival of Thomson in her black sedan, followed closely behind by someone else, presumably also from the program, driving the new vehicle. After greeting each other, Leaf was shown the finer details of the large silver van and found herself relieved that most of the seats could fold into the floorboard for more space. It would be perfect for a serpentine. Or a serket, though Thomson didn’t know about that yet.  
  


“Okay, so now that it’s just us…”   
The two shut the door behind them and Thomson eyed Leaf carefully. “...what’s this about undocumented liminals?”

Leaf took a deep breath as they rounded the corner and walked to the kitchen. “Well, it’s a complicated story, but… this is Chelle.”

Settled nervously beside the table, her resting legs making her only four feet tall, was a young-looking scorpion girl with long black hair draped over her shoulders.

“Oh my…” the coordinator said softly, a hand to her mouth. “Well, let’s see what can be done.”

* * *

Ms. Thomson greeted and explained her role plainly to the girl, while also appearing much gentler to her than she had with any of the other homestays. Leaf got the feeling that she had dealt with cases involving children or runaways before as a lawyer; her code-switching was impeccable.

Leaf was both surprised and proud of Chelle, who was being shockingly open. The suit-and-tie look was daunting, but Thomson’s cherry-red glasses softened it while also displaying her bright eyes and delicate features. That, combined with her ability to simplify and explain her role all while assuring the girl, made Thomson look like the shining example of a 'trusted adult' kids were advised to confide in if they were uncomfortable.

The situation was messier than Thomson had anticipated: the girl was a runaway from home, but from there it had essentially turned into a kidnapping.

“There’s a lot of paths that we could take here, Chelle, but to figure all of them out do you mind if I ask you a few more questions?”  
The serket nodded.

“Thank you. Can you tell me how old you are?” Thomson was taking notes on a small laptop she had brought but made sure to keep kind and attentive toward the girl; she only glanced down to the screen every sentence or so to make sure she hadn’t made any errors.

“Uhm… I don’t… know how long I’ve been away. Seventeen, maybe?” Chelle felt awful that she couldn’t answer such a simple question, like it was going to hurt her case. Beside her, Leaf found herself surprised. _Seventeen? I would’ve said like, fourteen. Guess some liminals age really differently, huh …_

Thomson hummed to herself quietly as she pulled up a digital calendar. “Do you remember when you left home? And your birthday?”

“July,” Chelle affirmed. She knew that much, at least. “And… my birthday is in May.”

Pointing her pen at each month on her calendar, Thomson calculated aloud. “So, seventeen in May, you left in July… and you arrived here yesterday, the thirtieth of October… You were away for three months or so, does that sound right?”

There was a silence; Leaf looked down to the girl beside her and her heart immediately sank: Chelle's expression had begun to shift into a deep, slow panic. Shaking slightly, she shook her head. “No… it had to be longer…” 

As Thomson closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Leaf knelt down beside Chelle and put a hand on her back.

“Do you… think it was a year and three months, Chelle?”

She remained quiet for a moment, fear growing in her eyes, then she nodded. “I guess so…” The dammed panic began to take hold of her as her thoughts snowballed.  
“I should have never run away. Dad sucked, but that guy was so much worse. I should’ve stayed home, none of this would’ve happened…” 

“Chelle.”  
There was a gentle firmness to Thomson’s voice. “I want to tell you something important, and I want you to please look at me when I say it.”Their eyes met, and the coordinator’s voice grew softer, though she emphasized every word.

 _“Nothing that happened was your fault._ I promise you that.”

Chelle looked down to her claws. “But…”

“You were unhappy and looked for a way out. You took a risk trusting someone, and you got burned. That’s an unfortunate reality sometimes. I know it feels like it, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault."  
She leaned gently across the table, folding her hands, as she continued. "Sometimes we can do everything right and still have something bad happen. Does that make sense?”

As Chelle nodded quietly she felt Leaf rub her back.  
“Remind me a little later and I’ll tell you about how stuff went wrong for me, too. It’s okay, we’ve got you.”

Thomson exhaled slowly as she skimmed her notes for a moment, weighing her options. Across the table, the other two watched her intently. Although Leaf had enough confidence in the coordinator to trust her in the first place… if it came down to it, she would defend Chelle. She said the girl could stay, and she meant it.

After a minute or so, Thomson adjusted her glasses and spoke to the pair, a little more formally than before.  
“So here’s where I believe we are,” she began. “Given all of the circumstances, I _should_ be able to argue for refugee status for Chelle here. Refugee laws are complicated, naturally, but there are still many loopholes within the Interspecies Exchange Bill that allow technicalities, so ironically it should currently be much easier for her than a human to do all this.

“In addition, Miss Chelle… During the time between leaving your home and now, you turned eighteen which, despite the circumstances, is profoundly lucky. American laws that allow a minor to declare themselves emancipated from their parents vary, but as you’re no longer a minor there would be no need to contact them over new guardianship in the first place.”

Chelle turned to look at Leaf with a curious look on her face, but the human didn’t even notice as she was engrossed in Thomson’s disclosure. “You mean…”

Thomson nodded, turning to Chelle with a soft smile. “It shouldn’t be too horribly complicated to get you set up to stay with Leaf here. If that’s what you’d prefer, I can get to work on that and we can have an ID made for you that identifies Leaf as your legal host family.”

The serket was trembling as she turned to the human beside her. “I can stay? I’m not gonna get sent back if someone else sees me?”

Leaf smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Nope, you’ll be able to go out in public as much as you’d like, as long as I accompany you.”

Chelle began to tear up at the thought.  
She wasn’t alone.  
She would be safe again.

“Well then,” Thomson said with a smile as she stood from the table.  
“I guess all that’s left to say is… welcome home, Chelle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **  
> Character Spotlight: Leaf**  
>   
>   
>  _(Reference pic: Kaori Miyazono, from 'Your Lie in April')_  
>   
>  **Legal Name:** Leaf Evelyn Miller  
>  **Age:** 22  
>  **Height:** 5’11” (180cm)  
>  **Skin:** Pale Ivory  
>  **Eyes:** Blue-Grey  
>  **Hair:** Light Blonde  
>  **Favorite Pokémon:** Chikorita  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • Has a nephew but has only met him once, shortly after his birth.  
> • Lied to Ms. Thomson in a panic within minutes of meeting her: in truth, Leaf had little to no practical knowledge of serpentines prior to Sierra’s arrival.  
> • That said, she’s learned a lot and now researches each new homestay’s species as they arrive, to better accommodate them.  
> • Has had at least two compromising dreams after the full moon incident...and one wasn’t what you’d think!  
>  **Author Note:** It's mentioned in passing in chapter 16 that Leaf's job is coding, which she does at-home. This served as a way to have her around more often, but is also a bit of a throwaway gag: it's commonly joked in trans circles that virtually every trans girl seems to code or work in IT.


	20. To Those We've Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“It’s… beautiful,” Leaf said softly. Chelle nodded in surprised agreement without a word._  
>   
>  As Leaf helps Chelle settle in, the cabin holds their night of remembrance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of family death, mild references to past abuse & transphobia**  
>   
> There's a few new name drops in this chapter, and they're a little weird— I'll throw some pronunciations in the end notes so feel free to jump down there if you see one and go 'what the hell is this'.
> 
> Anyway, this is maybe my favorite full chapter I’ve written, if I’m being honest. It was a nice way to explore other sides of the characters that they aren't as open about, and I think it’s particularly illuminating for one resident in particular.

A bit later in the afternoon, after the 'interview' anxiety had settled, Leaf decided to take Chelle to buy some new clothes in celebration. Before she left, however, she had to be reminded of their Halloween plans by the others.

“Please don’t take too long. You’ll have time, but just don’t go all the way downtown. Tonight is special,” Sierra scolded. “Be back at eight.”  
“You sound like my mother,” Leaf muttered in response as she put on her shoes. “Eight o’clock. Special night. Got it.”

The group had decided to utilize the living room for their evening vigil, as it was the most spacious: after their host had left, Gio and Sierra moved the table against the inner corner of the sectional to allow more room, while Corin set to work arranging the display itself.

Fortunately for their host, the shopping trip went smoothly as well. Her budget becoming less tight allowed Leaf to spend more freely for the new homestay without nearly as much stress. All in all, they bought her roughly a week’s worth of outfits, some pajamas and nice clothes, and a few extra layers for the upcoming winter. It wasn’t easy to find clothes for the lower half of Chelle’s body, but alterations wouldn’t be too hard; it was a similar situation to Sierra’s, after all.

* * *

_“We’re home!”_

As the two opened the door, they noticed the lights were off. Not only that, but Sierra’s coiled body was blocking the hallway before them.  
“Nice timing,” she teased. “I didn’t know if you were actually gonna make it.”  
“Of course I was,” Leaf scoffed in return. “I know how to keep an appointment. What’re you doing? And what smells so good?” She leaned to the side, trying to see around the girl, whose tail took up as much of the frame as possible.

“Nope, told you: it’s a surprise. Go put your stuff away first.”  
Leaf rolled her eyes and set Chelle’s clothes just inside the doorway of her room, with the intent of moving them later. “Just show us already.”

“Very well,” Sierra purred with grandiosity, “time for our Night of Remembrance.” As her tail slid down to the ground and she moved to the side, Leaf couldn’t help but let out a small gasp.

The living room was aglow with an arc of candles before the fireplace. As she drew closer, Leaf saw beneath them a mass of flowers, an arrangement of white-glowing-orange, adorning the trim of the fireplace and every little space between the slender white columns that illuminated them. It was as though a small field had blossomed in the middle of their living room. Spread evenly across the front of the display were five box-shaped paper lanterns with wooden framing, about eight inches in height and each unlit; front of the center one was a pile of small paper slips. The smell of cedar emanated from a stick of incense burning alongside it.

“It’s… beautiful,” Leaf said softly. Chelle nodded in surprised agreement, without a word.

Five lanterns, one for each person in the house. In an amalgamation of ideas from their cultures, the group would gather on the deck, one by one entering to pray at the small altar. Prior to the prayer, the lantern would be lit, and the name of the deceased written on the paper, along with a personal message if desired. Before leaving, the paper would be tucked beneath the lantern, and after all had gone, they would set the papers themselves alight.

“Would anyone like to go first?”

Everyone looked at each other expectantly. Everyone was a bit nervous, mostly at the idea of showing such vulnerability to the others. Finally, Gio raised a wing. “I uh… I guess I will.”

The others exited out the back door, sliding it gently shut behind them. They agreed not to observe each other; while they waited, they spoke quietly amongst themselves outside. After about five minutes the door slid back open and Gio emerged from the darkness. 

“Who’s next?” He had a soft but weary smile on his face as Corin walked over and hugged him tightly with all four limbs. Next to Gio she felt short, so she had gotten in the habit of multi-armed hugs which made her feel taller and stronger. He wrapped his delicate wings around the mantid.

“Uhm… is it okay if I go?,” Chelle said quietly, raising a hand.   
Leaf nodded. “Of course, Chelle. Please.”  
As the door shut behind her, Corin looked up at the harpy that dwarfed her. “Who did you pray to, Gio?”  
From a few feet away, their host spoke up, having overheard while talking to Sierra.  
“Uhm… I don’t think we need to get into that kind of thing, do we? It may be personal, Corin.”  
Gio shook his head. “It’s okay, I don’t mind.” Corin finally released the harpy from her hug and he hopped up onto the railing beside them.

“I told you guys that my village basically tossed me out a long while back,” he reminded them. “Before all of that, when I was little, the doctor in our village… she was the first person I ever told that I felt different. ‘Cause she’s a doctor, right? I figured, if _anyone_ could help me find out why, she could. Anyway, she was the only person who didn’t think I was crazy. Said that in her travels, I wasn’t the only one she had met who felt like they weren’t the same as other girls or boys, and for me… that was all the permission I needed to act on it. Unfortunately, she was also old… By the time I started dressing the way I wanted she had already passed, and her daughter took over the practice. I wanted to speak to her again, really.”

As he finished, Leaf didn’t know what to say. She didn’t have to, though; Gio looked at her with the same tired smile and shrugged. “Happens,” he said matter-of-factly, as Corin came in and hugged his legs, resting her head on his perched lap. Even Sierra slid over and set a scaled hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

“Family, huh?” she muttered quietly, a similarly resigned look upon her face.

* * *

Chelle wrote the name of the one she had been wanting to speak to ever since leaving home, grateful to finally have what felt like an appropriate chance. She lit the second lantern, tucking the paper beneath, and inhaled the overpowering incense. All six of her eyes, downcast, glimmered in the orange flame.

“Hi momma… it’s… it’s Chelle. That’s the name that my friend Leaf gave me. ...Do you like it? That way I can still be your daughter, just without dad’s name as part of it.” She paused. There was so much she wanted to say.

“...I left him finally, momma. It was scary, but I finally did it.” With a deep breath, she continued. “But after I left… a lot of bad things happened. I… started to wonder if I deserved it. If it was my punishment for trying to get away. Maybe the gods were angry, y’know?. But then Leaf saved me. She’s really kind, not like the others.

“...She reminds me a lot of you. ...I miss you lots, momma. I wish you could have stayed a little longer. ...Maybe I could have brought you here with me too.” Chelle smiled, envisioning her and her mother looking out over the water from the pier. “It’s really pretty by the lake. But it’s okay, I’ll see you someday, I promise. And I’ll make you proud ‘til then. ...I love you, momma.”

* * *

Leaf was glad that she had decided to leave some tissues near the shrine. As Chelle stepped out into the moonlight she was dabbing at all six of her eyes, her expression similar to Gio’s before her: sad, but content. 

Corin agreed to go next, having already been talking with quiet joy outside about her uncle Teesa, whom she adored more than most people. While her parents taught her etiquette, the jovial and laid-back Teesa taught her all about the world outside and its various cultures— though he died when she was thirteen, it was for him that she joined the exchange program. As she sat in the glow of their makeshift shrine, she promised him that she would travel and learn more about others in the world. She planned to visit every place that he did, so that she could feel closer to him with each new adventure. The irony of being a praying praying-mantis was not lost on her, and in fact made her smile a bit as she looked at the lantern, firmly believing that her uncle had heard every word she said.

* * *

“Hi, nana… It’s… well, it’s Leaf. I guess you might not know that name but… I’m choosing to believe you still know it’s me. I don’t really know if I believe in the afterlife and all that, but, well, I’m choosing to believe this too. I think I need it. I think we all do.”

Leaf took a deep breath. She could already feel tears welling up. Doing her best to shake it off, she continued.

Although they had all agreed not to look in on each other, it couldn’t be helped. As Sierra passed by the door, she saw Leaf kneeling quietly. The orange glow of the candles cut dramatic shadows across her face, making her look tired, worn, nearly supernatural. Not wishing to draw attention to herself, the serpentine forced herself to keep moving and rejoin the others. She couldn’t protect Leaf in this moment.

“A lot has happened since you left us… uhm, I’m not talking to mom and dad anymore. I know you’d probably want us to all be together, but… they didn’t really approve of me. ...But Amy’s doing good! She’s married, with a lot of money. And they just had a baby earlier this year, he’s super cute. They’re the reason I’m doing okay, actually. I’m living by the lake, and well… you wouldn’t believe it, but there’s a whole bunch of people living with me now. People who also felt weird or alone like me. It’s like family again. And I haven’t felt like I’ve had that since…”

Leaf sniffled softly, having to pause to wipe a tear away.

“Nana, I don’t know how you would have reacted, or if you would have been able to change their minds. But I guess if I hadn’t been kicked out, I wouldn’t have met my new family. Sierra, and Gio, and… you’d love Corin and Chelle. I know you’d spoil them just like you did with me.

“I just… I really hope you’re proud of me. I know it’s not much, but… that’s all I ask. I love you, nana.”

* * *

Sierra sat before the altar, her body coiled in a neat spiral beneath her as she stared at the slip of paper. After a moment of thought, she silently wrote a name and lit the fifth and final lantern. It was another three minutes until she spoke.

“Nnnnngh… I’m no good at this crap…” Another full minute passed; she took a long, deep breath and exhaled slowly. 

“...Hey, aunty Azema. It’s been a while. Uhm… I…” Sierra swallowed.   
“I really miss you. I know it was your time, or whatever, but… I wish we could’ve had more. I hate that I was left with mom, and Resurus and Sistrurus. I had to get out as soon as I could,” she sighed. “So… I’m in America now. And hopefully when I complete the program, I can stay here, y’know? I like it a lot more than back home. ...I think I want this to _be_ home.

“...You were too good for them, y’know? You would’ve been a much better mom than mine. Though I guess she was a perfectly fine mother to my sisters… it was always just me, huh. I should’ve left them and stayed with you. Doubt they would’ve even noticed.” Her voice had fallen flat.

Another minute of quiet passed; finally, Sierra’s whole body tensed up as she stared at the lantern. 

“Why did it have to be you? Why couldn’t _mom_ have fucking died?” Her claws dug into her palms, drawing trace amounts of blood as she shuddered with a quiet rage. “I’m… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say that. It’s just… the way that she and everyone else adored the beautiful, perfect twins… doting over them every damn second of the day, while forgetting I even existed… 

I have _so much anger, all the time,_ aunty… and I don’t know what to do with it. A new girl came to stay at the same home as me and I just, _hated_ her from the start. I didn’t even realize it until someone else pointed it out to me. I just wanna be worth it for once, y’know? And you’re the only one who seemed to think I really was. _...Why did you have to fucking leave me?!”_

Sierra’s claw tightened around a chrysanthemum on the floor, which instantly crumpled in her hand. It was soft, smooth and cold, a sharp contrast from the heat that flooded her face as she spoke. She swallowed a sob as tears ran down her cheeks, but couldn’t contain the next one; her body sank to the ground, and it was a full five minutes until her crying slowed enough for her to feel relatively composed again.

“I think I’ve, well…” Sierra cut herself off, taking a long, slow breath to calm herself. There were black smudges around her eyes from mascara and liner, though in the dark one could mistake it for the shadows being cast. 

“... There’s one more thing I need to talk to you about, aunty…”

* * *

After enough time had passed that Corin grew concerned and floated the idea of checking on Sierra, the door finally opened. The echidna slid out, her face downcast to hide her messy makeup as Leaf approached her.

“Are you okay?” she asked quietly, setting a hand on Sierra’s arm. She flinched at first, then brought herself to respond..   
“I… yeah. I’m fine. Things just got a bit heavy.”  
Leaf nodded understandingly, though she knew Sierra wasn’t the kind to share her feelings. “If you ever need to talk, please just let me know. Okay?”

At the end of the night, the five of them knelt together in the living room before their respective lanterns and set the slips alight, holding them gingerly until the flames nearly reached their fingers. Once done, a few of them gave a final, quiet nod of acknowledgement, and they blew out the flames together.

It was such an emotionally laborious evening that they all decided to go to bed early, with the exception of Chelle. Her nocturnal sleep schedule had been thrown off so badly by the last 48 hours that she was determined to get it normalized once more, so she took book suggestions from Leaf and read in the kitchen while the others slept.

* * *

There was a gentle knock on Sierra’s door. She had been too tired to wash her makeup off, opting to collapse onto the mattress instead and take care of it in the morning. She didn’t particularly care at this point if someone saw her; she was simply too drained.  
After a weak _“yeah?”_ the door cracked open. It was Leaf.

“We have to stop meeting like this,” Sierra joked sleepily.  
“I know, right?” A chuckle escaped from Leaf’s lips, and her expression changed to soft concern. “Are you sure you’re okay? I’m not gonna push you, because I know tonight was a lot and you’re not really a talker, but. If you ever need someone to listen… you know you can tell me anything, right?”

“I do,” Sierra said, barely louder than a whisper. “But you’re right, tonight was a lot. Maybe another time.”

Leaf nodded empathetically. Speaking to the dead takes a lot out of you, she had realized. “Of course. I’ll let you sleep. Good night, Sierra—”

“Wait, Leaf.”  
She turned around. “Yeah? What’s up?”

“Can you…” Sierra looked away, somewhat embarrassed. “...stay here with me, tonight? I think… that maybe _I_ need it this time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Handy Pronunciation Guide!**  
>  Azema: uh-ZEEmuh  
> Resurus: reh-SUHR-iss  
> Sistrurus: siss-TROO-riss  
>   
>  **Character Spotlight: Sierra**
> 
>   
>  _(Reference pic: Echidna subspecies, 'Monster Musume')_  
>   
>  **Age:** 27  
>  **Length:** ~20 feet (6.1m)  
>  **'Standing' Height:** ~6' (183cm)  
>  **Skin:** Beige  
>  **Scales:** Tawny  
>  **Eyes:** Clay Red  
>  **Hair:** Ash blonde  
>  **Drink of Choice:** Whiskey, on the rocks  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • She's watched _Whispered Words_ (the anime that Leaf introduced her to) three times through, and she cries every time. She would sooner die than admit this.  
> • Venomous, like all echidnas; however, she has a good handle on the potency of her venom when she strikes, allowing her to control whether it's a mild irritant or more lethal.  
> • Her forked tongue is extremely dexterous and is frequently used to 'taste' scents. Like most serpentines, this makes sex a far more intense experience than other species.  
> • Once joked about having killed someone before; Leaf found it amusing at first but is now beginning to worry, as Sierra refuses to clarify if it really happened.  
>  **Author Note:** Sierra's definitely the "Ryoko" of _Monster Outsider,_ for obvious reasons: brash, bold and easily irritated, but with some vulnerability that she hides away. Ever since their night out at Talon, she's been fighting a strangely heavy lust for Leaf, which she tries to keep to herself out of respect for her host.


	21. Let's Go Shopping!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Hey, don’t be such a_ snake, _it’s fine.”_  
>   
>  After an emotional night, Leaf treats everyone with a few surprises.

The morning after Halloween proper, the house was dead silent: as the result of an emotional evening, preceded the night before by heavy fear and anxiety, everyone felt they had earned the right to sleep in. Despite it all, Leaf forced herself to get up earlier than the others—partially for her typical routine, but mostly because she wanted today to be special. Two days ago the new addition to the house had been finished, but with the nonstop happenings of the last few days they hadn’t had time at all to even _think_ about the new space.

Still wearing the light blue tank and pink shorts she had slept in, Leaf quietly made her way into the living area, careful not to wake the seven-and-a-half foot tall harpy sleeping on the sectional.  
_God, even Gio’s still asleep…_ It was rare for him to miss a morning run. _The last few days must've really taken a lot out of everyone._ There was no sign of Chelle, but given her status as nocturnal, Leaf assumed that the serket was up in the loft.

The hallway leading to the bathhouse now branched off to either side, both entryways having been previously covered by large plastic tarps. To the right was a single bedroom door. On the left there were two, plus a bathroom at the end that was clearly designed to accommodate for a variety of liminal sizes. Leaf peered into each room— all were fairly similar in size and dimension, but much bigger than expected. Bigger than her original room, though not by much. _So much for having the master bedroom, huh,_ she sighed. _This place is turning into a full-on estate._ Regardless, she knew how excited everyone would be.

Returning to her own room, she opened her laptop and lay on the bed to do some quick research on the malls and shopping outlets closest to them. There definitely weren’t many, but she was willing to drive a little farther if need be.

The resident harpy was the first to wake, as usual; soon after, Corin and Sierra rose as well, the latter having finally washed off her makeup before making an appearance. Briefly relinquishing control of breakfast to the others, Leaf crept up to the loft to stir Chelle as gently as possible. Despite the polite effort, the serket was unhappy.

_“Mm… what is itttt… ‘m nocturnal, 'memberrr…”  
_Leaf smiled, though she _did_ feel a little bad. Placing a hand on the girl’s tired shoulder, she made an offer.

“I haven’t told the others yet but we’ve got a lot of big stuff to do today. If you join us, you can nap all you want the whole afternoon and then I won’t disturb you all week. Deal?”

Chelle grumbled. “...mmffine. Gimme a minute…”

As Leaf returned downstairs, she looked out the large glass windows and was struck with guilt: if sunrise was only a couple hours ago, then Chelle had probably only been asleep for a few hours herself. Regardless, a few minutes later the exhausted scorpion girl wandered into the kitchen, groaning and rubbing her eyes with her shirt so as not to scratch them with her tough fingers. It was effective, but also granted everyone else at the table a view of her of her petite, tan stomach. Sierra coughed loudly; as soon as Chelle realized it she pulled her shirt back down and blushed.

Leaf knew it would be difficult to get everyone at the table simultaneously, particularly with a new nocturnal homestay, but she was grateful for it nonetheless: sharing a meal with people you cared about was important. Hell, that’s part of why she was planning today.

“Miss Sierra, you’ve gotten quite wonderful at the eggs,” Corin congratulated. The others agreed as they loaded up their plates for seconds. Despite her visible emotions, the echidna was glad to hear this: she wasn't picky with eggs in the least, and would often just eat them raw and whole. She had no idea how to cook them at first. Thankfully, everyone at the table ate meat so they didn’t have to worry about as many accommodations— in fact, since the only other omnivore at the table was Gio, it was remarkably hard for Leaf to get anyone but him to eat fruits or vegetables to begin with.

“I’m sorry again for waking you up so early, Chelle,” Leaf conceded, “but there’s a few things I wanted to do for us today. All of us.”  
The others looked at her expectantly as she continued.

“I didn’t actually get the chance to say anything the last few days since everything’s been kind of hectic, and you may have already noticed, but the contractors have finished the new addition to the house. Which means _today…”_ She couldn’t help but pause for dramatic effect. “...we’re all going shopping so you can pick things out for your new rooms.”

Everyone broke into smiles and cheers. Chelle, on the other hand, was purely confused: by the time she had arrived there was no sign of construction.  
_New rooms? Wha?_

Leaf took notice of this and nodded to her. “You too, Chelle. There’s three new bedrooms, and one of them can be yours if you’d like. After breakfast, we can all go take a look and decide who can stay where, and then we’ll head out after. Sound good?”

Gio laughed to himself. “It feels a bit silly, but I kinda got used to sleeping on the couch so I’ll probably recreate something similar.” Beside him, Corin was already daydreaming of her decor.

* * *

As the group entered the new hall and looked around, they were stunned.

“They’re so _big!”_ Corin gasped, running back and forth between them. _She really does come off as younger than she is,_ Leaf chuckled. Her energy was a surprising contrast to her formal demeanor at times. In fact, the morning already had everyone seeming more youthful than usual— Gio looked like a young boy (albeit a very tall one) who was excited to finally get a room apart from his siblings. Chelle found herself unable to process any of it. Even Sierra wasn’t sure what to say, but she was pleased that everyone now had an official area to call their own.

“...remind me to buy Thomson a drink later, yeah?”

After a few minutes, Leaf tried to calm the excitable mantid down before addressing everyone. “Alright y’all, do any of these rooms speak to you in particular?”  
They each paused, looking between the doorways in consideration. Corin found herself looking back and forth at the larger liminals before gently raising a hand to speak up.

“Miss Leaf? If the others find it agreeable, I think I’d like Miss Sierra to have one of these rooms rather than me.”  
Sierra looked incredulous. “Yo, hold on, you sure kid? This is like, your own special room.”  
The mantid nodded with a smile. 

“I’m smaller than you and Gio, and I’d like for you to have the space you need to stretch out,” she explained. “If you’d like one of these, I can simply use the room you have right now. It’s more than enough space for me, really.”

Leaf couldn’t help but smile. “If that’s what you want, and Sierra’s okay with it, then I don’t see why that would be a problem.”

“Yay!” Corin jumped forward and wrapped all four limbs around Sierra, who could feel the girl’s chest pressing tightly up against her stomach. She had flashbacks to their prior liaison in the bath, and began protesting as she tried to keep from blushing.

“Whoa, okay kid, we don’t have to get touchy, it’s fine, really! I…” She paused to take a breath and hesitantly patted the girl on the head. “Uh… thanks. I really appreciate it.”

It was settled: since Chelle was nocturnal she would take the lone room on the right to maximize her day-sleep, Sierra and Gio would take the ones on the left, and Corin would occupy the room where Sierra previously resided.

“I spoke to Ms. Thomson, and the stipends she told us all about go through today, since it’s the first of the month. Take a minute to look around, think about how you want your space to look, and we’ll leave in thirty to go shopping. Cool?”

* * *

Not only was this their first major outing as a group, but the first time for most of them in the new van: the folded seats gave enough room for Sierra and Chelle to rest in the back, though Leaf felt a bit silly opening the back hatch each time to let them out.

“There’s a bunch of stuff we probably won’t be able to find, so if you only get the basics today that’s okay,” Leaf advised as they parked. “Besides, there’s going to be a lot more variety online.”

The one thing they hadn’t thought of was the sheer number of looks they might receive, with a snake, mantis, scorpion, and enormous bird walking together throughout the suburban mall. A vast amount of these people had probably never seen a liminal in person, let alone ones of this variety. It didn't help that their first stop was going to be finding liminal-appropriate beds.

_“Hiii, welcome to— ...ah..!”_

The girl inside the door didn’t necessarily seem frightened, just overwhelmed by the sudden procession of strange guests. In front, Leaf smiled and waved. “Good morning,” she replied, “we’re just here for the girls and our tall handsome friend here to figure out bedding for their new rooms.”

The girl stood speechless as the group passed her; once she shook it off, she hurriedly caught up with Leaf. A bit further into the store, she explained mattress sizes to the group and encouraged them to find what felt right to them. They split up by size, with Leaf accompanying the two younger and smaller liminals.

* * *

“A king, huh? _…_ ”

Sierra stared at the large beds before them, unimpressed. “I _guess_ if I curled up I could fit on this…”

“It’s bigger than what you’ve got now, right?” Gio shrugged and sat on one. “I don’t see the problem. _Ooh, comfy…_ I mean for both of us, this is pretty much an upgrade!” As the echidna tested the mattress with an open palm, a cheery masculine voice called out from behind the pair.  
“Hi, is there anything I can help you with?”

Sierra turned to find herself looking at a relatively short man wearing a button-down shirt and navy vest; she wasn’t good at guessing human ages, but he seemed to be maybe ten years older than Leaf. Sierra's host was her primary point of reference for this kind of thing. 

“Uh, yeah,” she said dryly. “Do you have anything… _bigger?”_ Behind her Gio gently bounced on the mattress, satisfied.

The young man adjusted his glasses. “Ah, I’m afraid we don’t… Bedding specialized for liminals is a bit rare right now, unfortunately, so for our store it’s still in the development stage. I apologize,” He nodded sheepishly. Sierra was annoyed, but she couldn’t really be mad at the employee— it wasn’t his fault, after all. Still, her voice tended to have difficulty articulating as much.

“Tch. It’s fine,” she muttered. Behind her, the harpy hadn’t lost his smile.

“It’s cool, Sierra! If it can work for me, then for sure…” he laid down, suddenly realizing that his talons and about half of his calves were hanging off the foot of the bed. Sierra had to stifle her laughter.  
“Oh yeah, perfect.”

The employee, though flustered, pondered for a moment.   
“I know this isn’t the perfect fix, but given the dimensions of the bed, maybe sleeping diagonally would give space to stretch out?”

The harpy repositioned himself, finding he still had a fair amount of room. “Huh,” he said quietly. “Don’t know why I wouldn’t have thought about it.”

“Because you’re an airhead, honey,” Sierra taunted. “You sure you have enough space?”

Gio leaned up, a sullen look on his face. “Hey, don’t be such a _snake,_ it’s fine. I’m gonna load this thing up with pillows anyway, make a total nest out of it.”

The man breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to hear you like it! As for you, miss…” He began to turn, but Sierra was already looking at the tag of the next mattress over.

“It’s cool; I’ll take it. Better than what I have now either way.” She turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. “You get paid commission or something, or…?”

“I do, yes,” the man confessed, “but that doesn’t matter, I just want to figure out how to best adapt for our increasing market, an—”

He froze as a firm, scaled hand rested on his shoulder. Sierra was acting what she considered to be fairly polite, but her size and demeanor still made her an intimidating presence. “You’ve been a great help, I’ll put in a good word. Thanks again, man.” Looking over her shoulder, she addressed her friend. “C’mon, chickenboy.”

“ _So_ hurtful, honestly…” Gio pouted as he jumped off the bed.

* * *

“Ah, miss, I’m not sure you should be—”

The associate, who couldn’t have been more than twenty, was beyond anxious watching the scorpion girl before her attempting to climb onto the bed. _Oh god, if that scorpion girl rips holes in the mattress I’ll be fired for sure,_ she thought, her heel bouncing nervously. Leaf did her best to comfort the nervous wreck beside her.

“It’s okay, she’s very delicate, I promise,” she assured before turning to the sight before her. “Chelle, I know you know this, but do be gentle, okay?”

“I _knowwww,_ I know, I am… It’s just a little hard to get up here while being so careful,” the serket lamented. “I don’t need a tall frame, I need close to the ground.” She grumbled more to herself, repeatedly turning away Corin, who was offering to help try to lift her. As long as it was a tough, coarse surface, Chelle had no problem climbing up things like trees, cobblestone and the like. But something smooth or soft, especially something that likely had a “you break it, you buy it” policy, was a struggle to find spots to latch on to. In her attempt, Leaf found that the girl almost looked like a dog on its hind legs that wanted up onto its master’s bed. It wasn’t funny, but it _was_ kind of adorable.  
Eventually, she pulled herself up, curling each set of legs as they reached the top of the mattress. She was relieved, but too frustrated to celebrate the success.

It was easy enough for Leaf to understand how most liminals slept. Serpentines and harpies and the like were obvious, and she had at least seen horses sleep so she had an _idea_ of how centaurs pulled it off… But she had never seen a sleeping scorpion. _Do scorpions even sleep?,_ she wondered.

“Hey Chelle, I just realized… how do serkets sleep, anyway? Is it similar to centaurs?”

Chelle blushed as Corin raised an intrigued claw. “I’d like to know, too! That’s a very good question!” The associate beside them was too busy steadying her nerves to pay attention.

“No, it’s… ugh, it’s _so_ weird to be watched. But it’s like this, basically…”

She curled her legs beneath her, laying her human half down on her chest. Her tail, typically her most intimidating feature, curled up in a spiral like a snail’s shell close to her back. She looked up at Leaf, her head resting against folded arms. She was an embarrassed shade of red. “...Can I get up now? _…_ ”

_So she has to sleep on her stomach. I guess that makes sense… At least she doesn’t have big boobs, they’d just get in the way,_ Leaf thought, picturing it for a moment that lasted far longer than she intended. _...Oh god, is that doing it for me?  
_ As Chelle righted herself again, Leaf found herself preoccupied with another, more complicated thought. She ran the logistics in her head:

_With arachne, their pedipalps are where their human legs would normally be. So Chelle’s,_ she looked down as she calculated, _are her claws, just like a real scorpion. But they’re always facing outward, not beneath her. ...When she sleeps, is she basically doing a yoga stretch the whole time?  
_Leaf envisioned a wide-angle seated forward bend (naturally, she had no idea this was the _name_ of the stretch; the girl could hardly touch her toes after all) and the mere _thought_ made her back hurt.

“You must be really flexible, huh Chelle?”

“Uhm… I guess,” the serket replied uncomfortably. Having attention drawn to her was new and strange; she had no clue how to talk about herself to others. Realizing that climbing back off the bed would be a nuisance, Chelle skittered gingerly to the edge of the mattress before hopping off onto the tile floor below. “Serkets often have to climb, so I guess it comes with the territory.”

Once the group reconvened, they paid and arranged for a same-day delivery so that everyone would be able to sleep comfortably that night. From here, everything was a matter of taste, which went relatively quickly and almost predictably.

Sierra decided on bedding with southwestern patterning full of browns and reds, and an additional duvet to keep her cold-blooded body warm during the upcoming winter.

Gio bought simple sheets and, in his efforts to feel nested, one dozen pillows.  
Corin already had a bed in the room she would be taking, so her money went to a dreamy pastel yellow-and-pink bedding. Unsurprising to Leaf, the pillows and duvet had frills around the edges.  
Chelle got sheets of dark red and black and with Leaf’s help was introduced to the glory of blackout curtains, to help her sleep during the daytime.

“Is anyone else tired already, or just me?” Chelle whined as they all loaded their purchases into the car. Leaf remembered again how little sleep the girl had gotten, and tried to remain positive.  
“Shopping can take a lot out of you, especially if you’re nocturnal,” Leaf agreed, “but don’t forget our deal!”

After another few stops, Chelle was even more drained, and the rest were feeling it too. In addition, the van was becoming overly full with purchases. Leaf finally conceded.

“Okay, maybe we did a little too much in one day _…_ Let’s go home, put everything away, and anyone who wants to nap can. You need to be up by 5:30 though, there’s something else we’ll be doing later tonight.”

Chelle groaned. She wouldn’t complain, she was beyond excited and thankful to have a soft bed and her own room, but…

_Just think of the nap, Chelle… Just think of the nap._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **An updated map of the cabin with everybody's new rooms can be found[here](https://i.imgur.com/TeC8ZqM.png)!**  
>   
>  **  
> Character Spotlight: Corin  
> **  
>   
>  _(Corin's character art by[@namrii_](https://twitter.com/namrii_) on twitter)_  
>   
>  **Age:** 22  
>  **Height:** 5'7" (172cm)  
>  **Skin:** Porcelain  
>  **Exoskeleton:** White/Pink  
>  **Eyes:** Pink  
>  **Hair:** Pink  
>  **Favorite Flower:** Lilacs, ironically  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • Greatly admires everyone in the house, but cannot understand why someone would want to look up to her as she finds herself rather ordinary.  
> • She doesn't have a particular mating season (though she prefers rainy periods); as a result, her libido stays fairly consistent and she's unashamed by it. In fact, she finds it a wonderful way to show affection and appreciation.  
> • She was quick to drop formal titles when addressing Gio, upon his request; however, she's yet to do so for the others, likely because she views the harpy as a big brother more than a housemate.  
> • Part of her love for dancing came from her well-traveled uncle who, when she was little, would teach her dances from various cultures he'd visited.  
>  **Author Note:** Corin was originally gonna be way more timid and easily flustered by compliments— she ended up feeling more natural as the "proper girl with good etiquette", and the more timid, anxious character became Chelle.  
> I also often worry in writing that Corin comes across as much younger than she is, actually. She's just a sweetheart.


	22. Dressing the Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“In what universe is she not the first person ready? Not only that, but last?”_  
>   
>  The group prepares for Leaf's final "surprise" of the day, though she still hasn't told them what it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Previous chapter has an updated map of the cabin in the endnotes! I added it briefly after uploading the chapter, so it may not have been seen by everyone.

By the time 5:30 rolled around, not only had Corin politely ensured that their resident nocturnal was awake, but everyone’s new beds had been delivered as well. They’d have the chance to set everything up later, but for the time being Leaf had given everyone a single missive: find something nice to wear, and meet in the living room at 6:30.

Some had more options than others: it was only Chelle’s second full day at the house, and at Leaf’s encouragement when they went shopping, she bought herself a single “nice” outfit. It wasn’t something she would normally consider wearing, but it was worth owning anyway.

Leaf went with her standard: a light blue A-line dress cut just below the knee, with some flats. It felt a bit plain, but she always felt good about herself in it, so she threw on a few accessories and figured she was good to go. _I’ll probably be the first one done,_ she thought; even touching up her makeup didn’t take long. As she was wrapping up, there was a knock on her door.

“Come in! I’m decent.”

“Lookin’ good, Leaf,” Gio’s low-alto called.  
She turned from the mirror to face him and was immediately drawn in— it was immediately apparent that the harpy felt more confident than usual. A pair of khaki pants that nearly matched his feathers came down to three-quarters length (as his talons were too large to comfortably cover up) and a black button-down shirt with short sleeves draped open over his torso, revealing his toned body. His hair was tied up in a knot as it was when they first met, allowing his silver locks to run in a distinguished stripe down the top of his head.

Not only was he confident, he had every right to be.

“...Wow, Gio,” Leaf blinked. “You uh… you look _great.”_ She struggled not to stare at the slender-yet-strong physique before her. _Focus on the eyes, Leaf… God._

“So do you!” he replied, cheerful as always. There was a short pause while Leaf tried to find the right words for her question.

“...Are you… wearing your shirt like that? And where’s your binding?” The harpy’s chest looked flat, yet it was bare.

“Aha, no I’m not, see…” Gio suddenly looked sheepish. “I can’t exactly do buttons?” he confessed, holding up the clawed digits that graced either arm. “So I was hoping you could help me.”  
  
“Oh, sure,” she agreed as she crossed the room. As she got close the harpy’s muscle definition stood out even more, drawing her eyes. She stammered as she reiterated her earlier question.  
“Y..your binding?”

Gio let out a soft laugh. “Oh yeah, right… I’m trying something else. They make like, a tape for the same purpose. Cool, right?” He lifted open his shirt fully, showing the way it had made his chest more suitable for the clothes he picked out. 

Leaf found herself blushing. The tape was the same shade as Gio’s skin tone, and indeed it made him seem as flat and smooth as any man she’d seen in movies. She remembered his words on the night of the full moon— that his host was not in his “mating pool”— but the original trio of girls still acknowledged among each other that he was handsome nonetheless. 

In addition, Leaf didn’t care for her own height but Gio was an entire foot and a half taller than her. This meant that for once in her life, as she stood near him, she felt small and delicate. The urge swelled in her mind to run her hands down his front, and for a long moment she began to wonder what it would be like to be beneath him.

“So, can you help?”

Leaf snapped back into reality, stammering again. “Ah, sure! Yes! Sorry,” she cried, immediately taking his shirt in her hands and buttoning from the top down. Her heart skipped a little as she neared the bottom. Once finished, she stood back and nodded. “The other girls are gonna love you,” she confessed.

Gio let out his typical relaxed laugh as he headed out of the room. “Yeah, maybe. We’ll see,” he flashed a smile. “Thanks again.”

Leaf had to resist the urge to slap herself once the door had closed. _What the hell is wrong with me? You’d think it was my own personal full moon or something…_

After shaking herself out of it, Leaf made her way out to the living room, met by Gio as well as Corin, who was wearing a white halter dress and a hair bow adorned with a small jeweled butterfly. The cut of the dress left just enough space on the sides for both sets of arms to move unimpeded.

“Wow, Corin, you look so _Marilyn Monroe!”_ Immediately realizing that Corin would have no idea who she was referencing, Leaf found herself pulling up a picture on her phone. The mantid seemed incredibly pleased.

“You like it? It’s not too juvenile, is it, Miss Leaf?”

Leaf shook her head. “I hope not, because if it is, we’ll look juvenile together. It’s okay,” she winked.

“Uhm… I’m ready, I think…”

Leaf turned toward the hallway to see six small red eyes peek around the corner. A moment later, Chelle stepped timidly into the open.

“Oh my gosh, Miss Chelle!” Corin beamed, clapping her hands. Leaf found herself chiming in as well to tell the girl how lovely she looked.  
Chelle’s long black hair was pulled back into a bun, held in place by two thin glass rods. _Honestly,_ Leaf thought, _she looks like royalty._

“Ah, are you sure? I feel a little weird about all my eyes being so visible, but…”  
Leaf cut her off.  
“No, you look gorgeous! And that dress fits you so well, I can’t believe it!”

Formalwear that was suitable for liminals was hard to come by, but for one of Chelle’s body type it was usually next to impossible. Their saving grace came on a mannequin that the two just happened to pass before leaving the store, causing them to circle back: a double-slit dress, with the cut up to mid-thigh on each side.

As it turned out, purple was definitely Chelle’s color. The v-neck dress cascaded down her petite front, the peak of each slit resting on her pedipalps. As a result the front cut draped between her claws, offering coverage while looking sleek, whereas the rear cut simply flowed behind her and onto the back of her second abdomen.

At 6:30, they looked among each other with mild confusion. Sierra had still not come out of her room.  
“In what universe is she not the first person ready? Not only that, but _last?”_ Gio anxiously tapped a talon against the hardwood as Corin looked to her host. “Maybe she fell asleep? Would you like me to go check on her, Miss Leaf?”

Leaf shook her head, glancing over to the door in the main entryway. “Nah, I’ll do it. If she’s in a mood I’d rather be the one to take it. Y’all just make sure you’re ready to go, alright?”

* * *

“Sierra? You okay?”

There was a small clatter from the other side of the door, followed by frustrated muttering.  
_“Yeah, I’m fine.”  
_She certainly didn’t sound it, as far as Leaf could tell.

“Can I come in?”

“I’d really rather you didn’t…”

Leaf sighed. “We need to leave soon…”  
“So go. Don’t wait up for me, it’ll be fine.”  
_Yep. Definitely not okay._

Leaf turned to the others in the living area and waved a hand toward the side hallway. After a second of confusion, they understood and left to give the two a little more space. She took a deep breath as she turned back to the door.

“Sierra. We’re not doing this without you. Period. You’re part of this group.” She waited for a response. On the rare occasion she had to act stern with the viper, it was like confronting a teenager. “Tonight is… really important to me. Can you please just tell me what’s wrong?”

After some rummaging on the other side of the door, Leaf heard a _click_ and the door cracked open. She couldn’t see much more than Sierra’s eye.

“Leaf, I can’t. I’m sorry. I…”  
“I made reservations, you know. For all of us. And I really want you there.” Leaf crossed her arms, growing impatient. “So, what’s the big reason?”

Sierra let out a long sigh and left the doorway; Leaf could hear her body sliding back a few feet, giving her the okay to enter.

“...I look stupid…”

As Leaf entered she didn’t know how to describe what she saw, but ‘stupid’ wasn’t anywhere on the list. It wasn’t even close.

Sierra’s body language exuded nervousness: her tail was fidgeting anxiously, she was rubbing her arm in shyness, and she couldn’t bring herself to look Leaf in the eye. But despite that…

“Holy shit.”

The black sheath dress had two small off-the-shoulder sleeves, falling close to where the scales on her arms began. It dipped along her cleavage, showing more than the other girls’ outfits (or any outfit Sierra _normally_ wore, for that matter), and clung tight to the rest of her body to show off one of her most prominent serpentine features: her hips. The bottom of the dress cut upward in an inverted ‘V’— where this might typically show upper-thigh on a human, it instead accentuated her delicate ventral scales.

When Leaf brought herself to look back up to Sierra’s face, she was speechless. An emerald-studded gold cuff adorned each of her ears, while sharp eyeliner drew even more attention to her intense red amber eyes. Her lips were coated in a reddish-brown shade, reminiscent of earthy clay, and around her scaled neck was a golden collar-style necklace that draped down an inch or so, to her collarbones.

“Sierra, holy _shit...”_

“I know… It’s bad, right?... I like this crap but I feel so… _stupid_ in it. I can’t stand it.”

“Sierra, you look... fucking _incredible.”_

The echidna’s eyes widened as her face flushed with heat. Now it was even harder to look at her host.  
“...Leaf…”

“I’m serious… Listen, I know you like feminine things. I’ve known for a while. But I’ve never made fun, I wouldn’t _dream_ of it. And neither would the others. I know you want to feel tough and strong, and… you assume this negates that, but anyone worth a damn will tell you there is _nothing_ that makes someone more of a ‘bad bitch’ than the ability to look punk as fuck and then turn around and clean up like she’s going to the Met Gala.”

The nervous homestay looked up with a hesitant smile.  
“I dunno, are you sure?”  
Without hesitation, Leaf nodded.

“You want intimidating? This is it. Trust me. I’m pretty sure I’m red as hell right now.”

Sierra giggled. “You are, but that’s okay. ...Thank you, Leaf.”

“You don’t have anything to thank me for. Your confidence is the most intimidating thing about you. Keep that no matter how you’re dressed and you’ll be fine,” Leaf instructed with a smile.

“So, think we can go now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Character Spotlight: Gio**  
>   
>   
>  _(Edited; original reference pic: Land Harpy subspecies, 'Monster Musume')_  
>   
>  **Age:** 25  
>  **Height:** 7'5" (228cm)  
>  **Skin:** Dark Caramel  
>  **Feathers:** Tan  
>  **Eyes:** Gold-brown  
>  **Hair:** Black & Silver  
>  **Favorite Human Food:** Spaghetti  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • Because hormone replacement is a human advancement, Gio's transition was limited to his presentation. His voice is a low alto, and he has incredibly soft facial features. He's fine with this, as there are no male harpies to compare himself to.  
> • He has run into the cabin's glass door on at least two separate occasions; Leaf is afraid he'll break it soon.  
> • Much like birds and babies, he is not to be trusted around small, shiny objects.  
> • He's able to wear human clothes much more easily than other harpies, due to his vestigial wings being smaller and less cumbersome.  
>  **Author Note:** It doesn't get shown off too often in his dialogue, but Gio is more or less a total himbo: super strong, pure of heart, dumb of ass. I love him a lot. His super friendly and affirming demeanor was inspired by MHA's Mirio Togata, a shining example of nontoxic masculinity.


	23. Like Queens and King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Leaf, hi! I’m glad you came, traffic wasn’t too bad, was it? Come in, introduce us to everyone!”_  
>   
>  All dressed up with somewhere to go, Leaf chauffeurs the group downtown for their evening activity.

Leaf still hadn’t told everyone where they were going, which proved difficult to keep up during a forty-five minute drive in a car full of liminals.

“Are we going downtown, Miss Leaf?”  
“Yes we are, Corin!”  
“I hope people don’t stare at me…”  
“Hey, no sweat, you’ll be fine! Nobody’s gonna mess with you.”  
“And if they do I’ll kill ‘em.”  
“Sierra, there will be _no_ killing.”  
“Ugh, you never let me do the things _I_ wanna do…”

Fortunately, since it was a Monday evening, traffic was nearly nonexistent; before they knew it they had pulled into a circular drive, stopping by a podium that was manned by two humans wearing sharp black-and-white attire. The building in front of them was two stories, an old brick structure with a forest-green roof. 

“Uhh, Leaf? What is this?” Sierra questioned hesitantly as the two young men approached the car, opening Leaf and Corin’s doors politely before moving to the others. Leaf handed her keys to one of the men and thanked him; as Corin followed suit and bowed, the other man gave a blushing smile.

A third man stood by the front door to the building, opening it for everyone as they approached. In the entryway, a young woman in equally immaculate clothes greeted them.

“Hello, welcome to Weston’s! Do you have a reservation?”  
Leaf smiled politely. “Uh, yes, funnily enough it’s under Weston I think…” She was actually frighteningly nervous, though she didn’t want the others to know.

While Leaf was conversing with the hostess, the others looked around in awe. The interior of the restaurant was mostly painted black, with warm chandelier lighting scattered throughout. Each individual table was covered in a thick white tablecloth and adorned with stemware and highly stylized menus. To their left, a long oak bar hosted a few well-dressed patrons, while a handsome man with slicked-back hair polished additional glasses. They had never seen an establishment this nice.

Despite her formal attire, Chelle couldn’t help but feel anxious and immensely out of place due to the latter half of her body. She didn’t know if Sierra felt the same, but if she did, the snake girl certainly wasn’t showing it. She looked positively _regal._

“Oh! Yes, of course, right this way!” 

They followed the young woman toward the back of the restaurant, gathering some looks from those dining in, particularly older couples, as they passed by. As Chelle whimpered, Gio assured her that it was likely to happen regardless of her species: even if someone was _used_ to liminals, seeing a group this large and diverse would likely be a shock to them, just like at the mall. It helped her feel better, if just a small amount.

Finally they reached a tall door, painted similarly to the rest of the interior— if not for the brass doorknob, Leaf thought, she would likely have missed it entirely. The hostess held it open for them, and as Leaf entered, the rest of the group was surprised to hear someone, a friendly male voice, recognizing her.

“Leaf, hi! I’m glad you came, traffic wasn’t too bad, was it? Come in, introduce us to everyone!” 

The interior of the room, decorated similarly to the rest of the establishment, hosted a lengthy table decorated with luxe glasses, candles and other adornments, clearly suited for large parties. Several of the chairs had been removed, allowing additional space for the larger of the guests. The liminals all filtered in slowly and somewhat awkwardly behind Leaf; before them stood a tall, well-built but chubby-cheeked man in a suit that was as dark as his well-kempt hair. By his side was a woman of shorter height with long, wavy brown hair, dressed in a navy blue blouse and black high-waist skirt. Sierra noticed that the woman’s eyes were a light grey-blue which somehow felt intensely familiar, though she couldn’t quite place why.

“Hi guys, it’s really nice to see you again,” Leaf smiled as the brunette hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry that I’m so awful about keeping in touch…”

“It’s fine!” the woman replied, before looking at the others curiously. “Are these all your homestays? I didn’t know you could _have_ this many.”

“Ah, yeah, it’s a bit complicated,” Leaf confessed with an awkward laugh before stepping to the side and motioning to each of them.

“This is Sierra, my first,” she began. The echidna gave a silent, respectful nod. 

“Corin…”  
“It’s very nice to meet you!”  
“Gio…”  
“Hi! I uh, appreciate the tall ceilings…”  
“And Chelle!”  
“H-hello…”

“Everyone, this is my sister Amy, and her husband Michael.”

Were Leaf not preoccupied with greeting the pair, she would have noticed the look of shock on each of her homestay’s faces. _Sister?!_ _  
_ Sierra understood in that moment why the woman’s eyes looked so familiar, and a pit opened in her stomach at the thought of suddenly meeting Leaf’s family.

Before they could get too lost in surprise, Michael waved toward the table. “Please, have a seat!”

* * *

“I guess I only really told Sierra about them, huh…” Leaf confessed. Across from her, Amy rested her chin on her hand.   
“You embarrassed by us or something, sis?” Leaf immediately and apologetically jumped on the defensive.  
“Come on, I’ve been so busy! _Three of them_ arrived in the last month alone, I can’t be expected to talk about everything with everyone…”

“Relaaax, I’m only teasing,” Amy smiled. As the group asked Leaf’s sister an array of questions, Michael spoke quietly to the younger woman tending to them, who couldn’t have been more than nineteen or so. After a moment, he turned back to the group to address them at large. “Would anyone like some wine? Any kind, your choice.” 

Minutes later, two bottles of red wine were delivered to the table along with a glass of white for Gio. _(“I’m pretty sure I’d stain my feathers if it spilled,”_ he leered at Corin while inching away from her glass)

While everyone else was looking over the menus, Amy looked at Chelle curiously.  
“Ah, Chelle, are you sure you don’t want anything to drink?”  
Whereas everyone else was partaking in wine, the girl was quietly sipping from a glass of water.

“Oh, no… serkets can’t process alcohol,” she confessed. “It goes pretty badly. But also, I’m younger than twenty-one so I couldn’t anyway.”  
“Oh of course, I’m sorry! I didn’t want to assume your age.” The serket looked much younger than everyone else at the table, but from what Amy had seen on television, some liminals like harpies had looks that were misleading compared to their actual age. “Is there anything else we can get you, then?

“Actually, can she get a cola please?” Sierra politely asked to the waitress nearby, before winking at Chelle. The serket stammered in protest.  
“Sierra, I—”  
“Live a little, kid, it’s fine. No one’s gonna card for something like that.”

Further down the table, Corin was enthusiastically inquiring about the beautiful restaurant.  
“Do you own this place, Sir Michael?”

Michael laughed, both at the flattering question and the way in which he was addressed. “No, no, though maybe someday. This steakhouse is actually my uncle’s. Which reminds me,” Michael turned toward everyone else at the table. “Even though liminal patrons aren’t incredibly common here, my uncle is trying to figure out how to better accommodate them. From what I understand many of you eat bigger portion sizes, right? So please, feel free to order what would typically be your ‘normal’ amount. It’ll give him a good idea of how to better prepare in the future. It’s on us tonight.”

As the rest of the homestays expressed their gratitude, Sierra leaned over to Leaf. She tried to keep her voice low enough to be between the two of them.

“Hey, Leaf?...”

The blonde finished a long sip of wine as she leaned in. “Hm?”  
“I… kinda wish I knew we’d be meeting your family.”  
Leaf turned, looking at her in soft surprise.   
“Really? Why?”  
_“Nghhh,_ I don’t know, it just feels like kind of a big deal. I could’ve felt more prepared.”  
Leaf gave a patient smile and patted the echidna’s arm gently. “It’s okay. You’re doing just fine.”

Sierra didn’t pursue it any further, but the anxiety of the situation lingered in the back of her mind. Leaf was her favorite person, human or otherwise, and meeting the humans closest to her meant suddenly keeping vigilant and putting her best claw forward at all times. She ended up forgetting all about it once their food had arrived, however.

“Oh my _gods,”_ she moaned through her second bite. “This is incredible. So juicy, so rare…” Were she at home, the next words out of her mouth would have been “it’s so good I could _come”…_ but she was on what she considered to be her best behavior.

“I’m glad you like it!” Michael chuckled before addressing the others. “Is everyone else’s okay?”

Gio nodded as he tried to pace himself through an absolutely enormous serving of eggplant parmigiana. Beside him, Corin beamed, ever grateful.  
“It’s amazing! This is the best food I’ve had since my arrival!” 

Michael thanked her sincerely and motioned to the waitress to top off all of their guests with another glass of wine. It hurt Leaf to have to refuse.

“I’m the one who has to drive us home, so no more for me, sadly,” she clarified, “but the rest of y’all are more than welcome. Drink up!” She’d get her chance the next time they partied together at home, where her bed was a short distance from the living room.

“At least I’m not the only one not—” she continued, turning toward Chelle two seats down before trailing off mid-sentence. “...Chelle?”

The scorpion girl was leaning against Sierra, giggling and holding on to her arm affectionately. “You’re so sweet, Sierra… and so _prettyyy,_ I wanna be pretty like you!” The echidna just smiled and patted her head.

“Uhm, Sierra…”   
“Hm? Yes?” She turned to Leaf, keeping her arm within Chelle’s grasp. Like Sierra earlier, Leaf kept her voice low.  
“I thought serkets couldn’t have alcohol. She’s drunker than anyone else here.”

Sierra blinked. “Oh, they can’t,” she agreed. “But, caffeine has a similar effect on arachnids, soooo…”  
“She’s _underage!”  
_“They can’t restrict _soda_ to an age group, babe. I’m watching after her, promise.”

 _‘Babe’? Ugh… she’s trying to sweet-talk me._ Leaf groaned. “I don’t know the legality of this kind of thing, so just… _please_ keep a close eye on her and make sure she’s gonna be alright the rest of the evening. That’s your job.”

“Promise.” Sierra poked her with a single claw.

* * *

The rest of the evening was full of laughter, compliments, and cheer, which was a much needed reprieve for all after the couple tumultuous days prior. Sierra, though sufficiently drunk, kept her word and watched closely over Chelle, who had curled up close and slept against her on the ride home. 

Corin turned around in her seat to watch the two. “Miss Sierra’s protective even when she’s had a lot of alcohol, huh Miss Leaf?”

“She is,” Leaf agreed. “Maybe even more so.” She glanced in the rearview mirror as Sierra spoke up in response to Corin.

“Shut it or I’ll choke you with my tail, kid,” she said quietly. Her eyes remained closed, but her voice sounded perfectly awake. Corin giggled, still facing the back of the car.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Especially after last time…”  
_“Corin!”_ Sierra’s eyes shot open with an icy glare.

Leaf paused. “Last time? So you two…”

“It was just one time,” Corin professed as she turned back to their driver.  
“Corin, stop _talking.”_ Sierra sounded both furious and annoyed. Leaf, on the other hand… wasn’t really sure what to think.

“Wow… well then. ...Am I the only one who hasn’t slept with someone else in the house?” She asked it openly, her voice showing only the most mild sign of irritation.

“That can be remedied, mama,” Sierra teased from the back.

“I haven’t,” Gio sleepily pointed out. “But both of you also tried to jump Leaf’s bones during the full moon, so I have that over you.”  
The two girls ignored him.

“Miss Leaf, if that’s something that makes you feel unwanted, I would be happy to—”  
“Step off, kid. She’s not gonna bang you.”  
_“Don’t be so vulgar!_ I’m just saying that she deserves to be treated like a queen!”  
“Banging is banging, don’t try and doll it up, little miss mantis.”

Leaf kept her eyes focused on the road, hoping that her ears would also tune out the conversation. Eventually tired of their bickering, she spoke over them both.

“All that matters is, you all looked amazing, and we got to eat and drink like royalty tonight. No arguing! Just let the good feeling last, alright?”

“Like queens and kings,” Gio sighed contentedly.  
“Queens and _king,”_ Sierra corrected. The harpy smiled.

“I can live with that. It’s good to be the king.”

Corin looked out the window in thought. “If you’re the king and we’re the queens, does that make us your harem?”  
“Not drunk enough,” Gio replied plainly. “Maybe someday.”

“Anyone else notice how Corin gets really lusty when she’s drunk?” Sierra muttered with a smirk. There was an offended gasp from the front passenger seat.

“I am _not_ lusty! A girl’s sexual nature is part of her being and there’s nothing wrong with expressing it!”

Leaf sighed, sincerely wishing _she_ was drunk instead.

* * *

Knowing better than to try and set up their rooms while drunk and tired, most everyone opted to sleep on their bare mattresses. Sierra would move her things to her room tomorrow, instead letting Corin utilize the space for the night. The echidna knew she’d probably have a headache in the morning, but she took solace in the fact that the others likely would too.

“Hey, Sierra, real quick…”  
She paused in the doorframe of her room before turning to see Leaf in the hallway behind her.

“Thanks again for taking care of Chelle tonight. I’m… sorry I got a little mad at first, too. I can always count on you to watch over someone.”

“Uh… sure thing,” Sierra replied softly, a bit surprised by the apology. “I got your back.”  
“Thank you, I appreciate it.”   
“Oh… and Leaf?”

The blonde turned back around on the way to her room. “Hm?”

“...Me and Corin… ...it was nothing. Completely superficial.”

Leaf shook her head. “You don’t have to explain yourself. You’re on an exchange trip, and you have needs that are probably hard to meet. It’s not against the rules or anything, and your sex life is none of my business. Do what makes you happy.” The words themselves could have been seen as passive aggressive, but Leaf smiled softly through them to show sincerity. “Goodnight, Sierra.”

The serpentine slowly sank onto her bed. The headache seemed to already be forming.  
It was true, her bathhouse rendezvous with Corin was meaningless. It was also, in a word, incredible. And she even had Leaf’s blessing.  
_‘You have needs. Do what makes you happy.’_

_Then why do I feel so fucking bad?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **  
> Character Spotlight: Chelle  
> **  
>   
>  _(Art of Chelle by[@ink.bubbles](https://www.instagram.com/ink.bubbles/) on Instagram.)_  
>   
>  **Birth Name:** Chel’oideiamneh’qa  
>  **Age:** 18  
>  **Height:** 5'3" when “standing tall”; 4'0" when sitting/resting  
>  **Skin:** Dark Olive  
>  **Exoskeleton:** Dark Mahogany  
>  **Eyes:** Light Red  
>  **Hair:** Black  
>  **Favorite Genre:** Romance  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • Much like Sierra, Chelle is venomous, though she's not particularly good with aiming her stinger as she's rarely had to.  
> • Serkets share the same instinctual fear of their predators that scorpions do, in particular birds, snakes and mammals... which explains half of why she was so scared when she met the others!  
> • The precise reason why serkets can't process alcohol, much like their arachne cousins, is that it will induce seizures. Something with moderate caffeine for her is like a beer, whereas an energy drink would be equivalent to hard liquor.  
> • Chelle's exoskeleton, like other scorpions, glows a bright teal when exposed to UV light.  
>  **Author Note:** When the group first meets Chelle, they're terrified as she looks similar to Samara from _The Ring._ The similarity isn't entirely an accident: her looks were inspired by the titular femme fatale from Junji Ito's horror manga _Tomie._  
> 


	24. Difficult Conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I’m fine. Really. I’m not going to say it’s not frustrating, but you really do get used to it after a while."_  
>   
>  Sierra finds herself needing to confront Leaf about an uncomfortable occurrence. Chelle asks someone she looks up to for guidance.

Now that Halloween had passed, the weather shift seemed to accelerate and the other end-of-year holidays were looming on the horizon. About a week after their dinner in the city, Leaf gave a quick rundown to her homestays over breakfast.

“So in a few weeks, we have Thanksgiving… it’s typically just me so I haven’t really ‘celebrated’ in a while, but we can definitely do, like, a nice dinner if y'all want.”  
Corin found herself interested, though this wasn’t too surprising as she was the most well-studied of the homestays.

“Thanksgiving is when humans celebrate the things they’re gracious for in life, right? I think it’d be delightful!”  
“I’d say there’s a lot to be thankful for,” Chelle agreed. Over the past week she had begun to talk more openly and confidently around the others. It made Leaf want to celebrate anyway, if only for her.

“Miss Leaf, may I ask you something personal?”

Leaf turned to the pink, curious eyes of Corin beside her.  
“Uh, sure, I guess.”  
“Do you not see your sister and her husband on Thanksgiving?”

Leaf took pause, mulling over how best to answer the question.   
“It’s… complicated. They usually visit my parents for Thanksgiving and then I tend to see them over Christmas at some point, so it’s not a big deal. I’m pretty sure Amy’s been trying to get us all together, but I can’t say it’s likely to happen.”

Leaf had never spoken of her parents to Corin and the subsequent homestays at all save for the brief explanation of having been kicked out, so the sudden reference to them took most everyone off-guard. Sierra knew that Leaf tended to politely answer Corin’s questions no matter how personal, so she kept a sharp eye on the mood in the kitchen and was ready to change the subject if need be. Fortunately, Leaf pivoted the conversation back to the matter at hand.

“Okay, so. We can all work on a big dinner and celebrate Thanksgiving together, I think that sounds great. A few weeks after _that_ is Christmas. I assume everyone know about that one?”

They all did, of course; although none of the liminals observed it back home, they knew that plenty of nonreligious people still celebrated it in a more secular sense. Of course, most public American celebrations of it tended to lean toward the secular side too. Gio was the first to ask about their preparations.

“Are we gonna get a tree?”  
The thought of having the scent of pine inside the cabin itself made him melt. It sounded like sheer bliss.

“Oh, for sure! There’s also a lot of Christmas movies too, so if y’all want to do something like we did for Halloween, I’m obviously down. As far as presents go, though… please don’t feel _obligated_ to get anything, unless you really want to.”

“If you think I’m gonna say ‘no presents’ then you don’t know me at all, kid,” Sierra said. The others agreed immediately so Leaf relented to the idea, jotting some notes in her phone.

“Okay, that sounds good. Just, don’t go overboard, okay? Let’s set a price cap or something.”

She wasn’t going to say anything, but well… Christmas had been a pretty lonesome time for Leaf the past few years. Sure, she saw her sister and brother-in-law, but other than that… it was a pretty quiet season alone at home. Maybe this year could be different.

* * *

Sierra groaned as she clicked through the website before her, aptly titled _Demihuman Depot_. The items were somewhat pricey, and it didn’t help that the shop was based outside of the country. 

“Ughhh, why is shipping on liminal clothing so expensive? I just want something nice and warm…”

It had become more common for the homestays to order clothes or room decor online over the past week, as it was far more convenient than having to go out with their host each time. As a result, borrowing Leaf’s laptop became a regular occurrence for everyone.

**_bzzbzzt. bzzbzzt._ **

Sierra reached for her phone as the buzzing continued, only to find the screen still black.

 _Huh. Not mine, so…_

Darting around the kitchen in search of the source, Sierra eventually found Leaf’s phone by the sink, beneath a stray dish towel. The number flashing on the screen didn’t appear to be one of her contacts.

 _“Hey, Leaf! Your phone’s going off!”  
_From the living room, Chelle looked up from a book and called in response. “I think she went out for some errands…”

 _It’s probably just a spam call,_ Sierra thought to herself. _But just in case…_

After hitting the button to pick up, she found herself paralyzed. _Wait, what the hell do I say?_ _“This is Leaf’s phone, she’s not here right now”? Or like… “Miller Residence?” No, it’s a cell, not a land line…_ After a fumbled pause, she went with a simple and ubiquitous ‘hello?’

The woman on the other end, whose voice seemed middle-aged, sounded confused for a moment before responding.

“Uh, yes… is ████ there?”  
Sierra gave a mental sigh of relief. _Alright cool, it's nothing…_ “I’mmm… sorry, I think you have the wrong number. Can’t say I know that name.”  
She waited for a response before hanging up.

Instead, the woman sighed.  
“His sister gave me this cell number and confirmed it was right. ████ Miller? Yes?”

 _Oh… shit._ Sierra began to panic. She could handle this. She had to. Hesitantly, she replied.

“...Do you… want to leave a message?”  
On the other end of the line, the woman heaved a sigh. She had begun to sound irritated.

“If he _still_ wants to do this, that’s fine. Just tell ████ that his parents would like him to come for Thanksgiving and that Amy will be there too.”

_Shit. Shit shit shit._

“Ah… sure. Will do. Bye.”

As Sierra set the phone back down on the counter, her stomach turned.  
_What the fuck do I do?_

* * *

_“I’m home!”_ Leaf called, as she had gotten in the habit of doing as she entered. The house was much bigger now, and with a whopping four homestays she figured she should let them know as their host in case they needed anything, or vice versa, upon her arrival. This happened to be one such occasion.

“Gio, hey… have you seen my phone? I didn’t realize I left it ‘til I was already out.”

Without looking up, the harpy on the couch replied.  
“Sierra found it and left it on the kitchen table. By the way, she was looking for you. I dunno if it’s related.”  
“Thanks, I appreciate it.” She grabbed the phone and headed toward Sierra’s room, pausing amusedly to watch the harpy slowly pecking keys on the laptop with his claws. _God, typing must be a nightmare,_ she thought.  
  


Leaf knocked twice, cracking open the door to Sierra’s new room so she could be heard better. “Sierra? You were looking for me?”

“Uh, yeah… come in.”

The echidna was sitting on her bed, nervously tapping away at her phone. As she set it down, her eyes turned to meet Leaf’s. She looked… guilty.

“Are you okay?” Anger, frustration, apathy… all were common enough to see from Sierra. But guilt? Unease? Almost never. Immediately, Leaf grew worried. “What’s wrong, are you hurt? Is someone _else_ hurt?”

Sierra shook her head. “No, everyone’s fine…” She took a deep breath. “While you were out, your phone went off. Some random number. So I picked it up in case someone needed to leave a message or get in touch with you, and…”

Leaf tried to draw out the followup. “...and?”

After a deep breath, Sierra continued. “It was… your mother,” she mumbled, her tail drooping. “I almost hung up because she kept asking for someone who wasn’t here, but when she said the last name, I realized—”

“...that it was me.”

“...Yeah. Leaf, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have interfe—”

“It’s fine. Really.” Leaf walked slowly over to the bed and sat beside Sierra. “Sometimes it pops up, but it’s rare. Amy and I decided the best case with my parents is to pretend the name doesn’t exist, and hope that they’ll cave eventually.” Leaf ran a hand along the cool scales beside her as she stared at the ground. “But you didn’t do anything wrong. Did she say what she wanted?”

Sierra nodded. “She said that they wanted you to come to Thanksgiving. And that Amy would be there too.”

“Hm.” Leaf sat there for a moment, deep in thought. “...Andddd at no point did she say ‘Leaf’? Or… ‘she’?”  
“Uhm… no, she didn’t…”

“...Alright then.” She patted the tail of the girl beside her. “Thank you, Sierra.”    
The echidna, familiar enough with her host, could tell that it was authentic— not only that, but it was said with a warm smile.

“You’re okay? Leaf, if you want to talk about it—”

“I’m fine,” she said, cutting Sierra off. “Really. I’m not going to say it’s not  _ frustrating,  _ but you really do get used to it after a while. It’s like Chelle said, sometimes parents just suck.”

Beside her, Sierra quietly nodded. “Are you going to go?”

“Absolutely not. I mean, it’s the least amount of respect someone can give me, and she couldn’t even do that?” Despite the undertone of frustration, the same warm smile emerged on Leaf’s face once more. “I don’t need to have Thanksgiving or Christmas with people who don’t respect me.” She thought about it for a second. “My home is here. ...My  _ family _ is here.”

Sierra knew that Leaf was being entirely sincere. She couldn’t help but smile back at her.

* * *

“Sierra? Can I ask you something?”

The echidna looked up to her doorway to see six red eyes looking at her nervously.  
“Sure kid, come on in. What’s up?”

Chelle skittered into the room, her tail flicking back to push the door closed behind her. “I guess it’s kinda serious… I’m not bothering you, am I?”

Sierra tossed her phone to the other side of the mattress. “I’ve already had one serious talk today, I guess I might as well go two-for-two. You’ve got my full attention; hit me.”

As Chelle settled down on the floor and tucked her legs beneath her, Sierra slid to the end of the mattress, wrapping her tail around her and sitting upright. The serket’s claws clicked nervously.

“I’ve kinda been thinking about this since last week at the restaurant, but… how do I get to be as confident in my looks as you? We’re both kind of unconventional to humans but you never seem nervous about your body or anything…”

Sierra leaned forward, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. “You know you’re hot, right? Like, let’s just start with that. You’re a hot little piece of scorpion ass.” Apparently, this was too bold; Chelle immediately turned a bright red and hid her face behind her chitinous hands. Despite the embarrassment she caused, Sierra continued.

“Seriously, whether you wanna feel good for yourself or to attract others, _that’s_ something to remember: someone out there is always going to find you hot. Those shiny little legs will almost certainly get someone doing anything you ask, human and liminal alike. You looked _killer_ when we went out to eat! And I may not seem self-conscious but it took me a _long_ time to get there. Even before I met Leaf, I had another host family who ended up being scared of me. It hurts, and it takes work, but you’ll get there for sure. Hell, I still struggle with it.”

Chelle considered it. “I guess you’re right,” she confessed. “But it’s… not just that. It’s everything. I don’t even like my top half.”

“Okay, now _that_ surprises me. You’re like, classically pretty as hell,” Sierra said, crossing her arms. “Everyone thinks so.”

The anxious fidgeting returned. “Well like…” She looked down shyly; the snake girl before her shook her head and responded in a surprisingly gentle tone.  
“Take your time, sweetheart.”  
Chelle drew a deep, slow breath.

“... I have a lot of scars on my back. From bad people. And…” Chelle now found it unable to make eye contact in the slightest.

“...What if I’m too messed up to ever get close to someone again?”

 _Gods, I didn’t think we’d get_ **_this_ ** _heavy,_ Sierra thought to herself through a slow exhale. She took a moment to collect her thoughts before responding.

“Listen… I know I don’t seem like it, but I feel the same way sometimes. I think we all do. And I’m pretty sure that’s half of why Leaf took you in. But if you want help, from one venomous girl to another, I’ll work on it with you.”

Chelle looked up in soft surprise, their two shades of red eyes meeting one another. “Really?”

“Mhm,” Sierra nodded. “ _But,_ you gotta be willing to try. And you’ll have to push yourself hard. The past can be awful, but refusing to adapt in the wake of it is just gonna fuck you up more. We’re gonna build from the ashes until you think you’re hot shit. Deal?”

Chelle smiled and nodded determinedly. “Deal.”

Truth be told, Sierra had already decided she would be more delicate with the girl than anyone else thought her capable of. You can’t aggressively whip trauma into shape. But, well, she had to get motivation from her somehow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a clarifier, and to ward off any thoughts or guessing before it occurs:  
> The number of blanks for Leaf's 'deadname' spoken by her mother in this chapter don't correspond to the length of the name itself; it's just a name-sized space. Leaf's deadname is not something I've given any thought to and have no plans to add at any further point, since it's irrelevant to the story. Leaf is Leaf.


	25. Talon Redux

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You gotta come back more, I like you.”_  
>   
>  Leaf and her homestays spend another night out at the liminal nightclub Talon. It goes differently than their first, to say the least.

“Babyyyy oh my god _hi!!”_

The matango bartender found herself reaching across the bar, taking both of Sierra’s hands in her own. “It’s so good to see you!” In return, Sierra squeezed them and grinned, the others in her group gathered behind her.

“It’s been a minute, Volva. Leaf has a few new homestays so we figured a night out would do them all some good.” Volva blinked in surprise, her sparkly eyeshadow gleaming, and turned to Leaf to get more details.

“A _few?_ Is that normal?”

Leaf laughed and shook her head.  
“For me, I guess! Anyway, this is Gio…”  
The harpy, standing taller than anyone else near the bar, waved happily. Volva raised her eyebrows as she looked him up and down.  
“Okayy,” she said with a smile, impressed by his physique.

“...andddd Chelle!”  
Chelle couldn't help but feel like a child, as she was only about a foot taller than the bar itself while standing. It was frustrating, but Volva’s reaction helped smooth that over.

“Oh my god, you’re so _pretty,”_ she cooed loudly over the music as she leaned across the bar. A knife-cut at the neck of her top put her cleavage on display— her favorite way to get additional tips. “I’ve never met a serket before! I’m Volva, it’s so cool to meet you guys!”  
As Chelle blushed, the matango addressed the group at large.

“So what can I get you guys? Fireball?”

Leaf vehemently shook her head, having learned after the last time, though Sierra and Gio agreed to partake. She decided, along with Corin, that a sweeter mixed drink would be a better place to start. Chelle was the last to order, feeling embarrassed as she attempted to lean closer and ask a question of Volva. On her chitin-covered wrist was a lime green band, signaling that she was under 21.

Although some arachnid liminals _could_ process alcohol, it was more or less deadly for serkets. Caffeine, however, had similarly inebriating effects for them and served as a suitable replacement most of the time. Because most liminals had to be with their host family at all times, and caffeine wasn’t really something that could be regulated (attempting to forbid certain liminals from consuming widely available beverages that even human _children_ could drink was… legally dubious at best), it was handwaved as acceptable if the liminal in question was under host supervision.

After a few shared drinks, and with Leaf reminding everyone of of the rules, the group decided to split among the club's floor and chase their bliss. Sierra, Gio and Leaf stayed at the bar to talk with Volva, while Corin went out onto the floor to dance.  
  
Chelle, however, found herself as a wallflower, declining Corin’s invitation to dance with her. As part of their self-image “practice,” Sierra had talked her into wearing a top that exposed at least some of her back, with the defense that the club would be relatively dark and strangers would either be too drunk or caught up in having a good time to notice or care. Still, the serket stood back and watched everyone else, occasionally taking a sip from the energy drink in her hand.

“You guys, look at Corin…”  
Sierra pointed toward the dance floor, where the dainty mantid had found herself. As Gio took a sip from his gin and tonic, his brows raised in surprise. Corin was dancing with a remarkably muscular blue-skinned girl who was maybe a solid foot-and-a-half taller than her; atop her head were two small horns.

“I gotta be honest, I’m impressed,” he laughed. “Never seen her like this. Dancing with an oni? Not bad, girl.” Beside him, Leaf couldn’t help but feel a little proud.

“She really has learned to come out of her shell a bit… even if it takes a little alcohol. Now we just gotta get Chelle to work on the same. ...Where is she, anyway?”

Sierra scanned the club for a moment, finally finding the serket girl awkwardly standing by herself against the far wall. “There she is.” She nodded toward the edge of the large room, with Leaf following her gaze.

“She looks kind of lonely, don’t you think?”  
Sierra nodded. “She’s nervous. I’m gonna go try to help her out. Wanna come?”

As the two left, Volva leaned across the bar and eyed Gio. “You’re not going with them?”   
The harpy shook his head, chuckling to himself. “If we all go, she’ll just get more nervous. I’m fine here.”  
  
“Well then, can I get you another drink?”

He eyed his near-empty glass before flashing her a pearly smile.  
“Yeah, definitely. Wanna do a shot?”  
Volva grinned. “You bet. Pick your poison, handsome.”

* * *

“I dunnooooo, it’s just scary for me,” Chelle looked down sheepishly. Sierra, however, wasn’t having it.  
“We’re working on ourselves, yeah? I’ll be with you the whole time. Leaf too. You don’t have to dance with anyone else but us if you don’t want to.”

Leaf seconded the proposal, emphasizing her own discomfort too.  
“I’m terrified of dancing, but I’m a little drunk and she’s _very_ convincing.” As she remembered the hypnotizing motion of Sierra’s body during their last visit, she felt herself blush.

Chelle hesitantly agreed, taking a huge swig from the tall, thin can that her fingertips were nervously tapping against. The trio headed out to the floor together, and soon afterwards both Leaf and Chelle felt dwarfed in talent by the echidna beside them.

“You’re doing great!” Sierra cheered.  
She really was: Chelle’s several legs gave her a fairly wide amount of control over her body in a much different way than that of a serpentine, which was almost surprising in spite of her lower half. It was almost like watching a tango, the way her thin legs clicked back and forth in varied steps. Sierra did a quick, slithering loop around the girl, as her tail flicked out. “Not bad, kid! I don’t know why you were so worried.” 

A few songs later, with the need to take a breather, Leaf made back to the bar to get another drink, leaving the two on the floor. As they looked to each other, red met red and Chelle blushed, her tail curling tight behind her as she broke contact to stare at the ground. Sierra couldn’t help herself, so she moved in to inquire and, as she so loved to do, tease.

This only caused the serket to grow redder; Sierra was _very_ close and her chest was nearly level with Chelle's face. Not seeming to pay it any mind, the echidna grabbed her hands as they danced and playfully asked:  
_“Why so red, little scorpion?”_

Chelle tried to keep eye contact, but it was beyond difficult. She struggled not to regress to stammering. “You’ve been so nice to me, I just… don’t know what to say,” she confessed, her six eyes downcast to the floor again. Sierra laughed. 

“That? Don’t worry about it kid, we’re having a fun night out, right? Just enjoy yourself!” Their fingers interlaced as Sierra’s hips continued to hypnotize. Noticing the girl was still fairly flustered, she posed another question. “Am I too close?...”

As Chelle quickly shook her head, she found it even harder to look at Sierra. She forced the words out as she blushed intensely.

“Uhm, it’s just… Scorpions, they… dance, before mating…”

* * *

At the bar, Leaf turned from her seat to scan the dance floor once again. Corin and the oni girl seemed to be having a great time; there was no doubt that her infectious positivity made it easy for her to make friends, and Leaf wondered at what point she would find visitors traveling out from the city to their cabin in order to hang out with the girl.

“Another drink, darlin’?”

She turned back to the girl behind the bar. Volva must have been taking her break; a peppy girl with wavy silver hair and two large slender ears atop her head was looking at her curiously. Just beside those ears were two thin, curved antlers. _A jackalope? Those exist?_

“Uh, yeah, lemme think…” She glanced back out to the floor and saw Sierra hand-in-hand with Chelle, pressed fairly close, their tails waving gently in sync. Drawing in a slow, deep breath that ended in an annoyed sigh, Leaf turned back to the girl and began rubbing her temples.

“Mm. Can I… get a shot of tequila, please?”

* * *

Being as tall as he was made Gio feel extraordinarily clumsy when he was drunk, and his huge talons didn’t help much in that regard. To accommodate this, he was leaning against the wall in the back hallway, the giggly matango looking up at him.

“You gotta come back more, I like you,” she said. Gio laughed to himself.  
“I’m pretty sure you’re just saying that to get a better tip, yeah?”   
She shook her head, and the colorful shrooms in her hair rattled.

“No, I mean it. You and Sierra are both awesome. And okay, yeah, _maybe_ I flirt to get tips, but I definitely don’t tend to drag patrons away from the bar.” Volva leaned against him, her chest pressing up against his stomach. His eyes traced her figure as heat swept through his hips, and as she noticed him smile she jumped up to peck him on the lips. It was clear she was testing the waters, and by the look in Gio's eyes and the claw now scratching gently at her hip, it worked. Giggling, Volva grabbed his wing and pulled him into a nearby bathroom, locking the door behind them. 

Almost instantly she found herself lifted up and pressed against the wall with a gasp. Teeth closed gently on her neck, and she began to tremble beneath the red lighting as she felt him rubbing up between her legs. 

Volva wrapped her arms tight around the harpy and whimpered into his ear as her tight black crop top was pulled up, exposing her breasts. Despite her squirming, Gio held her tight to the wall with ease and continued to rub and tease, grunting into her mouth as her nails dug into his back. After a few minutes of mewling, she kissed his ear and begged. _“My turn.”_

He let her down and they flipped, her now bare chest pressing tight against him. As fast as her lips and hands would allow, she kissed and teased down his body until at last she was on her knees before him. From the moment her tongue ran up between his thighs, it was settled: Gio would make her scream.

* * *

“Miss Leaf, what’s wrong?”

Leaf was buried in her phone at the bar, ignoring the world around her as she absent-mindedly matched trios of glowing gems on the screen. With a hand on her shoulder, Corin pulled up a seat.

“Hm? Oh, it’s nothing. Just trying to sober up. Everyone’s doing their own thing, so…” She raised a glass of water. “May as well.”

Corin caught the blonde glancing past her; she turned to follow her gaze and saw Sierra and Chelle dancing together. They were farther apart than earlier, but clearly still thoroughly enjoying each other's company on the floor. As she turned back, Leaf looked away.

“Oh, Miss Leaf… I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Leaf replied coldly, taking a long sip of her water and wishing it were something more potent. “She’s allowed to do whatever she wants.”

"Mm…" Corin nodded quietly. “Just… take care of yourself, okay?”  
She noticed Sierra making her way to the bar and decided to make her exit; with a quick, tight hug to her host, she left for the dance floor again.

“You okay, kid?”  
The echidna wrapped her tail around the barstool beneath her as she flagged the cute jackalope bartender down for another drink. “You look pretty down.”  
Her host grumbled, then a little bit louder claimed “I’m fine.”

The look on Sierra’s face changed from a casual, prodding grin to one of genuine concern. “Wait, did I do something to upset you?” She leaned in, trying to get a better read on Leaf’s half-hidden face.

“No, it’s fine, I’m just…” Leaf took a deep breath, turning away slightly. “It’s nothing, I’m just being dumb. You’re allowed to flirt with people.”

Sierra turned to the dancefloor for a second in confusion before looking back to her host. “Wait, like. Me and Chelle? Baby, no, we were just dancing, there wasn’t anything about it. I mean yeah, I’m a little flirty, but I’m just trying to help her get more comfortable with herself.”

“Please don’t call me that.”  
“... Call you what?”  
“I’m not your baby. I’m your _host._ And you need to act like it.”

Sierra drew back, startled, the words cutting like a blade. The two of them stared at the bar in silence for a few minutes, before she spoke in return.

“...I’m sorry for upsetting you. That wasn’t my intention. And, I’ll try to be more transparent in how I interact with people from now on. That includes you.”

“...Thanks.” It was the only word Leaf felt like offering at that point.

* * *

The ride home was almost entirely silent; most everyone slept, with the exception of Sierra, who eyed Leaf quietly from the back and wondered how to make it up to her. 

_I’ve really gotta figure this out… Fuck, man._

After a minute or so of blankly staring at her phone, she opened her messages with a heavy sigh and began typing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The return of Volva! Next chapter we'll have another someone returning, and it's something I've been meaning to do for a while now.  
>  **  
> Character Spotlight: Volva  
> **  
>   
>  _(Reference pic: Mashu, Monster Musume Online)_  
>   
>  **Age:** 28  
>  **Height:** 5’8” (173cm)  
>  **Skin:** Fair  
>  **Eyes:** Honey  
>  **Hair:** Copper Red  
>  **Favorite Music Genre:** EDM  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • The kind of girl who sees what she wants and goes for it, no matter the odds. She's a definite day-by-day girl and a thrill seeker, and that ends up including the "thrill of the chase" in romance and sex as well.  
> • During her stay in the program she worked as a waitress, which is where she met her current roommate, a human man.  
> • It's assumed that her spores have no hallucinogenic effects, since she works in an enclosed space with lots of people and drinks. This is untrue; like Sierra and her venom, Volva is adept at minimizing the effects of her spores.  
> • Has totally made out with the jackalope bartender before while closing up at the end of the night.  
>  **Author Note:** Volva was 100% inspired by one of my favorite bartenders where I live (the way she greets Sierra at the beginning is how the girl would frequently greet me IRL). Just such a specific mix of bubbly and chill-as-fuck, my favorite kind of people.  
> I'd been looking to do a less SFW scene with Gio for a long while (ever since the full moon chapter, in fact) but nobody felt right. Volva ended up being the perfect person to bring that side out of him. She won't be the last. 😉


	26. Lake Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Eeny, meeny, miny… mo!"_  
>   
>  It's unseasonably hot... so everyone may as well make the most of it!

None of it made any sense. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  
She had never felt so betrayed.

 _“Leaf, are you okay?!”  
_Hearing the scream from their respective bedrooms, Sierra and Gio rushed out of the hallway and into the living area, where the blonde was on her knees.

_Not like this… not like this!_

“What's wrong?!” Gio asked, panicked. “Is everything okay?”

The duo followed Leaf’s gaze from the floor to the TV screen above the mantle.

It was awful. Unbearable. It was…

“...Eighty degrees on Thursday? _That’s_ why you yelled?” Sierra released an exhausted sigh. “Gods, I hate you.”  
Gio put his arms behind his head and huffed. “Leaf, we really thought you were hurt. Don’t scare us like that.”

“But… the _holidays…”_ Leaf whimpered. “The _season…”_

Sierra wrapped her tail around the girl, pulling her upright and onto her feet.  
“Do that again and you’re not getting a Christmas gift.” It was a bold-faced lie; Sierra would never do such a thing, but Leaf didn't have to know this.

“Is everyone okay?” Corin peeked her head out from her room. “What’s the matter?”

“Leaf screamed because she saw the _weather forecast,”_ Gio said, exasperated. “It’s gonna be strangely hot later in the week.”

The mantid walked out to join the others, wearing a pastel, spaghetti-strap top that showed a bit of her stomach. It was her favored shirt for lazy days in the cabin. “Well that seems awful silly…”

“It _is,”_ Sierra muttered, annoyed. Suddenly, Corin’s eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together in her usual excited manner. 

“Oh! Miss Leaf! I just had an idea! Why don’t we go swimming in the lake that day? Most of us haven’t yet, right?”

Corin had a point: it had been a bit too chilly all-around to use the lake since the start of October, and before that she still had a hard time feeling exposed in front of Sierra. As a result… _none_ of the homestays had taken a dip yet.

“Well… assuming the wind doesn’t make it colder that day, I guess it’s possible,” Leaf considered aloud. “I mean, don’t get your hopes up, there’s a good chance that even if it’s warm the water may be too cold. Especially for someone cold-blooded like Sierra.”

“Hey, don’t write it off just yet,” Sierra replied. “Let the girl dream! I’m down for a lake day, we probably won’t have another chance until spring. _And,_ I’ll have you know, I can handle water temperature _much_ better than lamias, thank you very much.”

Yay! This is so exciting!” If Sierra was on board, Corin knew that Leaf would cave. “Should I call Miss Jessie and see if she’d like to visit? Would that be okay, Leaf?”

“Oh, damn.” Sierra looked mildly embarrassed. “I totally forgot we told her she could visit sometime. Yeah, call her up.”

During their very first outing with Leaf to get groceries, Corin and Sierra had met Jessie, a human girl who worked at a local store. She was young, maybe in her mid to late teens, but she seemed sweet and was fascinated by liminals so they agreed to meet up again at a later point.

“Call up who?” Chelle mumbled, sleepily wandering into the room. Once she finished rubbing her eyes, she looked at the others in lost confusion. Corin immediately bounced up to her.

“Miss Chelle! We’re going to have a lake day on Thursday since it will be warm! Do you have a swimsuit?”

Leaf went ahead and answered for her, feeling a bit guilty. “We didn’t think we’d have need for once since it was already the start of November… I’m sure we could figure something out though, Chelle. We can do rush shipping, too.”

The serket shook her head. “It’s okay,” she assured. “I can’t swim, anyway. But I guess I can try to be awake for that.”  
The others, with the exception of Gio who considered himself a lousy swimmer, looked at her in mild surprise.

“You mean _you_ can’t, or serkets can’t?” Sierra asked.  
“Serkets,” Chelle said plainly. “We sink like rocks. But we can walk on the bottom for a while if we need to.”  
Leaf suddenly imagined Chelle scuttling across the ocean floor.  
_I wonder if lobster girls exist,_ she thought to herself before responding.

“Don’t worry about it, Chelle. I honestly probably won’t be swimming either.”  
Sierra scoffed at the notion.

“The hell you won’t, I’m gonna throw you in.”  
“Absolutely not!” Leaf whined. “I’ll cry!”  
“Gio’s gonna help me, aren’t you, Gio?”  
“It _would_ be pretty funny…”

“You guys are _so_ petty…”

* * *

As it turned out, the weather was perfect for a lake day after all. Leaf got up early to prepare and gather the necessary supplies, and by eleven she and Gio were walking down to the pier with drinks and snacks at the ready.

“You’re _really_ not gonna swim, huh?” He glanced down at the human beside him. Leaf was wearing a tanktop and some fairly baggy gym shorts… which admittedly wasn’t far off from Gio’s own outfit, though his shorts were clearly designed for swimming. Leaf theorized that his top was some sort of compression tank, as it was fairly tight and flattened out his chest with ease.

“No I am not,” she responded in kind. The thought of being around people in a swimsuit was a bit mortifying. She had bought one, sure, but after trying it on she never actually used it. “You know how scary that kinda thing can be…”   
He did, and he assured her that no, he would not actually throw her in.

Chelle was the next to join them, as she had no real need to “get ready”. The two of them watched as she crawled down the length of stairs, much more fluidly than Leaf could have envisioned in her head, and waved to her as she approached. 

“Where are the others?” Chelle inquired, looking around upon joining them. “Weren’t they the ones most excited about this?”

Nodding, Leaf pointed back toward the cabin. “They’re meeting Jessie out front so she knows where to go. They’ll be here soon!”

As if she had summoned them, the shutting of a car door echoed from afar, followed shortly by the group of three making their way down the hill toward the others. 

Chelle’s tail curled up in a conscious effort to appear less scary; beside Corin, and just slightly shorter, was a young wavy-haired brunette clad in acid-washed denim shorts and a white graphic tee. A knot of white laces poked out the back of her shirt’s collar, hinting at the swimsuit underneath. She seemed surprised at the additional guests by the water.

“Oh my gosh, there’s more of you now? And you all live here? Your place is huge!”

Leaf tried to explain that no, her home wasn't this big until recently, though she soon realized Jessie may not have heard; Jessie was a bit preoccupied with the harpy that towered two full feet above her.

The girl tried not to seem overexcited, but it was hard; the only liminals she had met in-person were still the two girls from before. She shook Gio’s wing with both hands.

“You’re a harpy, right? I thought most harpies were smaller, but you’re _so big!_ And oh wow,” she turned to Chelle, who was standing by timidly. “I’ve never seen a liminal like you before! You’re so _pretty!”_

The serket blushed and looked away. “Ah… thank you,” she muttered shyly. Jessie took notice, but still had a hard time containing her enthusiasm.

“I’m sorry if I’m being too much, I’m just kind of excited I guess. We don’t really get any liminals out here, so you guys are the only ones I’ve met! I feel so lucky!”

Before she could respond, Chelle felt Sierra’s hand on her shoulder unexpectedly.  
“It’s fine! Chelle’s been wanting to meet some new people too, so she might be a little nervous but she’s cool. You guys are around the same age, right? Chelle’s eighteen, and you’re….?”

“Seventeen,” Jessie nodded, “eighteen in March!”

Leaf smiled as she watched the serpentine connect the two. It was interesting, how cold and impersonal Sierra could sometimes seem, while hiding something soft beneath the surface. Her thoughts were cut off, however, by a loud splash in the lake. Everyone turned to see Gio, bobbing on the surface, his feathered arms adorned with a pair of orange floaties.

“Okay, so maybe a cannonball doesn’t work well with these, but I tried! What’re you guys waiting for?”

“Nice wings, Gio!” Sierra mocked from the shore before turning to the others. “Shall we?”

Corin jumped up and down excitedly. “Yes of course!” 

Immediately her pink, jointed fingers began lifting her shirt. The bikini underneath, unsurprisingly, was white with small frills around the waist and beneath the breasts.  
As Leaf noticed the girl’s perky nipples subtly rising beneath the thin white fabric, she found herself blushing. _I’m just gonna… talk to Chelle… and look away… … why am I not looking away?_

She was able to avert her gaze after a moment, but only because of who was next to Corin.

Sierra had been wearing a long tank, the kind she typically wore to bed which gave her body a rather neutral silhouette— but now, it was on the pier beside her. Leaf’s eyes trailed up from the long, dust-colored tail to her hips, where a tiny black sarong covered as little skin as possible. Above, her immaculate breasts were covered by… even less than expected. The steep cut of the fabric, two tall and slim triangles, framed them in a way that, to Leaf, somehow felt more explicit than if Sierra were naked, pushing them up and creating ample cleavage.

As her eyes traced up Sierra’s curved body, they suddenly met Sierra’s own, which were accompanied by a smirk.  
_She caught me, oh god…!_

Immediately, Leaf turned to Chelle, having finally found the motivation she needed to avert her gaze.

Unfortunately, Chelle seemed equally distracted.

Jessie was shedding her outer layers as well, and the serket was blushing deeply at the sight. Light-blue denim slid down to expose the red bikini underneath, which accented the curvature of her soft, full hips and ass in what proved to be an incredibly flattering fashion. Once the human began lifting her shirt, Chelle finally found the motivation to hide her face.

“Chelle, are you coming?”

She looked up to see Jessie standing behind as the other two leapt into the water; looking down shyly, Chelle explained once more that she was unable to swim. But Jessie almost looked... _disappointed?_

“Aw, okay… Well, I’ll be back soon, yeah?”

As Chelle watched her run and jump off the pier, her tail waved gently back and forth. The sounds of their laughter and splashing had her wondering if maybe she had actually been missing out on something due to her inability to swim. As if reading her mind, Leaf spoke up behind her.

“You sure you’re okay? I want you to be able to have fun today too.”  
Chelle shook her head.  
“It’s okay, I’m fine up here.”  
If Leaf were to be honest with herself… Chelle actually sounded a bit let down.

There was a splash at the end of the pier as Sierra shot up out of the water, resting her arms on the wooden planks. Leaf clapped politely as the echidna flashed a charming grin.

“You’re not joining us, Leaf? Come _onnnn,”_ she prodded. “Plenty of cute girls out here in the water, y’know…”

“I wanna keep Chelle company,” Leaf said affectionately as she put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “We’re fine, don’t worry about it.”

Sierra shrugged. “Suit yourself, kid. Won’t get another chance until spring, though. Later!” She launched herself off the pier, her serpentine body twirling back into the water in a fluid motion.

A moment later, Leaf had an idea. She shook Chelle’s shoulder gently. “Hey. Question. If you _could_ be on the water, would you wanna go out there?”

Chelle looked confused, but she nodded. “I can’t though,” she pointed out, “but… yeah, I guess. Of course.”

As she responded Leaf smiled warmly, which only served to make her more confused.  
“Hang here for a second,” her host instructed. “I’ll be right back.”

Five minutes later, Leaf was coming back down the stairs, with a large pink inflatable beneath her arm. She had also changed; rather than her shorts she was wearing what appeared to be a skirted swimsuit bottom.

“Did you change your mind?” Chelle asked. As Leaf drew closer sheheld up the float, shaped like a small, thin bed.

“I’m getting us both out there,” she smiled.

* * *

“A land harpy? That’s incredible, you must be so fast!”

As Gio bobbed in the water he laughed to himself, flattered by the assumption. “Well I can’t fly, so I gotta make up for it somehow I guess…”

“Hold on, what’s this?” Sierra lifted a clawed finger out of the water and pointed past the others. Slowly floating out toward them on a long pink inflatable was Chelle, her legs tucked beneath herself as she lay on her stomach and paddled out. Beside her, helping guide the float, was Leaf.

“Miss Leaf! Miss Chelle! You came!” Corin raised a claw out of the water and waved cheerfully. As everyone gathered to congratulate a slightly terrified Chelle, Sierra backed away slowly and, as silently as possible, sank beneath the water.

She hadn’t really had a chance to show off since arriving, but even non-melusine snake girls were excellent swimmers. Circling beneath the group, Sierra silently eyed each pair of treading legs. _Can’t do Chelle or Jessie… not risking the talons…_ she moved a clawed digit between Leaf and Corin.  
_Eeny, meeny, miny… mo!_

“I’m glad you could come out, Chelle!” Jessie swam up to the float, careful not to bump it and startle the girl. “Are you doing alright?”

Chelle nodded. “Mhm… just nervous…” With each slight rock of the float, she felt her body tense up: her tail was curled tight, her claws wrapped around the front of the inflatable.

“It’s okay!” Jessie smiled, putting a hand gently on her claw. “You’re doing great! We won’t let you fall!”

As Chelle grew flustered, Leaf agreed with the sentiment.  
“That’s right! And if you get the hang of it, you can come out here any— _oOHMIGOD_ something just touched my leg…”

As a few of the girls whimpered everyone anxiously looked down into the dark water, until Gio broke the silence.  
“Hey guys, where’s Si—”  
Suddenly, the still water was violently disturbed as Leaf’s body was dragged beneath the surface.

Leaf flailed briefly beneath the water before feeling a thick tail wrap behind her back. As her eyes strained to focus, she could feel herself being pulled close to its owner; after a moment she was able to discern burnt-red eyes that peered into her own. 

_If she hates when I flirt, I’ll just give her a little affection of her own,_ Sierra thought as she smirked, her breasts pressing close up against Leaf’s. With a single claw, she gently turned her head to the side and nipped at her ear. The serpentine tail retracted gently from Leaf’s body before giving her a shove back up to the surface.

As Leaf shot back to the surface, coughing heavily, Sierra popped up behind her with a grin.  
_“Gotchaaa~”  
_ Chelle was trembling on her float as Jessie held her hand assuringly. Corin was hovering close to Gio. Leaf was… _not pleased,_ as the echidna found out once she stopped coughing.

“What the _hell,_ Sierra! You can’t just _do that!”_

Sierra held her hands up defensively. “Whoa, I’m sorry! It wasn’t anything personal, I picked one of you randomly. Didn’t mean to scare you… really.”

Leaf took a minute longer to stable herself, before shaking it off. “I think… I’m gonna go inside for a bit,” she said softly, turning without another word swimming toward the pier. About halfway there she was intercepted by Sierra, who thanks to her physiology was a rapid swimmer.

“Leaf, please don’t be mad… let’s just talk about this, okay?”  
The blonde closed her eyes and took a deep breath to avoid snapping. “Sierra, I thought I was clear that I don’t like that kind of unexpected stuff. I’m already way nervous being out here around everyone in a swimsuit in the first place. And… you remember our talk, about communication, yeah?...”

How could she forget? Leaf’s words still stung a week later.   
“I’m sorry, I really am…” Sierra began. She really did feel awful; being someone who loved teasing her friends meant that, occasionally, she took it too far without meaning to.  
“I didn't mean to hurt you, I was just having some fun. I crossed a line and that’s my fault.”  
The look on her face grew soft and humble. “I really want you to stay out here with us; I’ll make it up to you, I promise. No more teasing, snake’s honor.”

The chuckle that escaped from Leaf’s mouth betrayed how irritated she was. “You know snakes aren’t exactly thought to be honorable, right? But… fine. We can talk more later.” Credit where it was due: Sierra was remarkably open and honest in her apology.

“I’ll get us both drinks and meet you back over there. Let’s make today worth it.”

* * *

Within twenty minutes or so everything settled back to normal, and the group returned to enjoying their well-earned lake day. Sierra insisted on retrieving drinks for everyone for the rest of the afternoon in an attempt to stay in her host’s good graces, and once the temperature began to dip, everyone packed up and headed back up the hill.

“Maybe you can stay over sometime near Christmas,” Chelle offered as the group walked Jessie back to her car. She didn’t want to seem overbearing, but the girl had been really sweet to her and Chelle wanted to get better at interacting with other humans. It was nice to feel she could potentially grow to trust someone her age, too.

“I’d love that! I’ll bring some yummy Christmas cookies and we’ll make a whole date out of it!”

Jessie wrote down her number, and as they hugged Chelle tried to hide her pink-tinged face. _A date? No, it’s gotta be a human thing…_

Whatever it was, it stuck in her head until well after the girl left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Character Spotlight:** Jessie  
>   
>   
>  _(Reference source unknown; literally could not find an origin for this online tbh, it's everywhere.)_  
>   
>  **Age:** 17  
>  **Height:** 5’5” (165cm)  
>  **Skin:** Golden Peach  
>  **Eyes:** Brown  
>  **Hair:** Medium Chestnut Brown  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • Her parents can be a bit conservative when it comes to liminals; as a result, she keeps her fascination to herself when at home.  
> • Dated one boy during her sophomore year, but otherwise no romantic history.  
> • If she gets upset or overly excited, a southern drawl occasionally slips out on a word or two.  
>  **Author Note:** I had a lot of different ideas for Jessie’s trajectory over time, and after a while I kinda just got wrapped up in other story points and forgot to pull her back in. Whoops. Anyway, I’m excited for her part in all this.


	27. Time to Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Yayyy, you’re awake! That’s sooner than I thought!”_  
>   
>  While grocery shopping for the gang's Thanksgiving meal, Leaf makes a new… friend?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some quick fun announcements:
> 
> 1) Chelle now has some bio artwork, courtesy of [Erin Carson](https://www.instagram.com/ink.bubbles/) on instagram. The character spotlight in Chapter 23 has been updated to include it too. Which brings me to number two...
> 
> 2) To make things easier on myself and others, I've created a [separate work specifically for Monster Outsider bios](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27789826)! It can be found in the fic info box at the top of each chapter, listed as "Part 2" in the series. Basically just an appendix with character info. It contains the information found in the previous character spotlights, plus a short character synopsis.

Leaf drummed her pen against the kitchen table as she scrolled through her attempt at a websearch.   
“Ugh… what the hell do you get a _land_ _harpy_ for Christmas?”

The internet hosted thousands of “gifts your **______** will love!” articles but liminal-specific ones were virtually nonexistent— at least, for anything less common than a kobold or catgirl or the like. Other than occasional users asking for help on forums, it was difficult to find a lead.

“Plane tickets,” Sierra offered with a grin, popping an egg from the fridge into her mouth. They were more flavorful cooked, of course, but for a quick snack it was the easiest choice. She swallowed it whole, the lump visibly traveling down her throat in a somewhat disturbing display, and continued. “A hang glider? A jetpack!” Leaf looked up at her, unamused.

“You’re useless.”

“Well hey,” the echidna drew closer, “how about we figure out what you’re getting _me?_ That sounds like fun…” As she swept around the table, Leaf closed the laptop and answered plainly.

“Oh, I’ve already got yours.” 

Sierra stopped in her tracks, surprised. “Wait, really?” The look on her host’s face was entirely serious— and a little cocky. She tried not to look flustered.

“Yep, it was easy,” Leaf affirmed. “I’ve got you and Corin done already. I just gotta figure out the other two. And I should probably get something for Thomson, now that I think about it…”

“Well, I guess we’ve _both_ got our gifts for each other planned out then,” the echidna shrugged, attempting to sound equally confident.

“Oh _really?”_ Leaf looked at her with visible disbelief. _“You’ve_ already got something for _me?_ That’s awfully prepared, even for you.”

“Yeah, I guess I’m just good like that,” Sierra bragged. “It’ll take a bit to get here, but I really think I nailed it.” Her host smirked.

“We’ll see, I guess. No way you did better than me,” she teased.

Sierra’s eyes gleamed as she grinned.  
“Oh, Miller, you do _not_ want to make this a competition.”

* * *

After loading everything into her car, Leaf double-checked her receipt against the shopping list to make sure she didn’t forget anything for Thanksgiving. _Perfect,_ she smiled to herself. She didn’t want to admit it, but she was kind of excited. The holiday hadn’t really meant much to her in awhile— not that she particularly minded— but every now and then she thought about how her homestays were really becoming a family to her, and she couldn’t help but feel warm. 

Closing the back hatch, Leaf pulled her phone out of her purse to text Sierra before getting in the driver’s seat. 

  
|🍃>> _omw home, can you help me bring stuff in?_

  
She hit send and reached for the handle of the door… and then froze. There was a quiet click on the pavement behind her. Steadily, she slid her hand into her purse, reaching for the pepper spray.

Before she could get to it, three things happened: 

There was a large _whoosh,_ alongside a gust of wind.  
Sharp claws dug into her shoulders.  
And finally, Leaf blacked out.

* * *

As she came to, the first sensation that hit Leaf was an intense pounding in her skull. The second was the sound of high-pitched giggling nearby.

 _“Yayyy, you’re awake! That’s sooner than I thought, heehee!”_

Leaf groaned as she rolled toward the source of the noise. Gravel crunched beneath her. _The driveway?..._ Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Six inches or so from her face was a bright, fanged smile. Suddenly, it vanished from view. Behind her, the voice piped up again. “Do you wanna play with me?!”

“Play? Where am I?” Leaf slowly pushed herself upright, getting her bearings. Beside her was a ledge, beyond which she saw trees… but just the upper half.  
 _What the hell?_

She rolled over to the source of the voice. The smile was beaming at her yet again beneath a mess of pale hair that hid the eyes. Beside the individual was a large exhaust vent. Suddenly, it hit her.

“Wait, oh my god _am I on the roof?!”_

Crouching, the stranger crawled closer on its… _Hands? No…_   
“Mhm! If you’re up here the lady can’t find us! She’s boringggg.”

“The lady? Who _are_ you?” Leaf looked around; her purse and phone were nowhere to be seen.

“I’m Dessa! Can we play nowwww?” She sat back on her haunches, and Leaf took a moment to look the girl over. Framing her mess of white hair were two large, thin ears above and a cute, slightly-upturned nose just below. Like Gio, in place of hands she had a single claw. The largest difference, however, was in her arms: beneath the claw were thin, leathery wings that ended at her waist.

  
_(Dessa's character art by[@englepsi](https://twitter.com/Englepsi) on twitter)_

“Are you… a bat liminal, Dessa?”  
She smiled. “Mhm! A vampire bat! I was with this lady and I got bored so I left. Then I saw you, and I was hungry, so I wanted to play!”

Leaf rubbed the back of her head. “Well, I have to get home, I have groceries and stuff I have to bring so… wait. You wanted to play because you’re hungry? I don’t get it.”

Dessa lifted her claw to her mouth as she looked up in thought. “Welllll, back home I would get food from animals. But here’s much better! Humans and others are a lot more fun and I can play with them while I get my food!”

There was a pause. Leaf didn’t like the sound of this.

“And by food you mean…”  
The girl answered happily. “Blood, duh!”

Speaking of blood, Leaf's had just run cold at this response.  
“Dessa, I… really need to get home. I’ve got other liminals waiting on me, and—” 

From below, the two could hear the sound of tires squealing to a halt, followed by the slamming of two car doors. Dessa rushed past, crouching low, and peered over the ledge. With a gasp, she jumped back, nearly colliding into Leaf in the process.

“It’s the lady! I don’t wanna go… Don’t say anything, okay?”  
Leaf had entered panic mode as soon as she heard the word ‘blood’, so she was a bit too freaked out to yell for help. But then, she heard a familiar voice.

_**“LEAF!!”**_

Her heart skipped. _Sierra?...  
_

Leaf scrambled to the ledge and looked down. Below, she could see her car, with Sierra scanning the dark as Ms. Thomson was collecting the dropped purse. Dessa must have brought her to the roof of the Food Eagle, since it was nearby. She was grateful she was still so close.

 _“Sierra! I’m up here!!”_ she called, waving an arm in the air. Immediately, Sierra’s pit organ latched on the heat source.

Leaf turned to the girl behind her. “Dessa, it’s okay, I know them!” 

Dessa wasn’t hearing her at all— she was crouched in the corner, hiding behind her wings. She looked just like a scared child. From below, the two heard Thomson’s voice call out.

“Desdemona, get down here this minute! You _know_ you can’t harm humans as part of the exchange bill, and if you do anything to her, you _will_ be deported! It's entirely out of my hands then!”

Dessa shook her head. “I don’t wanna go. Don’t make me go…”

There was a sudden clanging along the side of the building, and moments later Sierra crawled over the ledge beside them. Immediately, she launched herself between the two, glaring harshly at the girl.

“Game’s over, little bat. If you so much as _touch her_ I will end you.”   
Dessa whimpered. She didn’t like ‘the lady’ but she _hated_ snakes. She pushed herself back, collapsing into a trembling mess.

Leaf grabbed one of the viper’s arms, pulling her back. “Sierra, don’t. She’s just scared.”

Sierra just hissed, pulling her arm free. “Has she bitten you?”

“No, she hasn’t, so stop. It’s going to be okay.” She pushed past Sierra and knelt before the quivering girl.

“Dessa, I want you to listen to me, okay? The lady down there is a good friend of mine. And I promise she only wants good things for you. She didn’t come out here to try and take you away, she was just scared because she couldn’t find you. Her job is to make sure you’re okay.”

The girl looked up at Leaf, her hair still obscuring her eyes. “But… the snake…”

Leaf nodded. “That girl’s a friend of mine too. She came out here looking for me because she was scared that I was hurt. Right, Sierra?”

From behind her, the echidna grunted and turned away. “Yeah. Sure.”

“So come here. Neither of them will hurt you, I promise,” Leaf assured, holding out a gentle hand. “Everything’s gonna be fine.”

Dessa paused and shuffled her hair so that she could look up with one blood-red eye at the girl. The human had long, blonde hair and a kind smile. The serpentine behind her was scary, but something about this girl felt warm and inviting. Slowly, she nodded.

* * *

“I’m so sorry, Leaf, none of this was supposed to happen. I was bringing Desdemona to her host family and… well, as soon as I turned my back she flew off. She can be skittish like that.” Thomson sighed, the small girl’s claw in her hand. I just hope she gets better.”

“It’s fine, really. She didn’t do any harm.” Leaf surprised herself with how understanding she was able to sound, given that twenty minutes earlier she thought she was going to have her blood drained. Turning back to the bat girl, she made sure her voice sounded soothing.

“Dessa, you have to be good or else they’ll send you out of the country. Don’t you want to see all the cool stuff out here?”

Dessa raised another claw to her mouth. “I _guess_ so… But I wanna see you again sometime! You seem really nice and you’re really pretty and your blood smells _reallyreally good…_ ” Leaf grabbed at her neck to feel for bite marks and winced; no bites, but at the very least there was a cut on her shoulder from where she was lifted onto the roof earlier.

Leaning against Leaf’s car a few meters away and clearly ready to leave, Sierra chimed in. “Allllright, I think it’s time we go. Thanks for the lift, Thomson. Have a good night.” To her satisfaction, this sped up the departure significantly, and the two were soon riding back to the cabin together.

“So wait, did Thomson come by the house? Why were you with her?”  
Sierra looked away. “No, she didn’t.” After a moment, she confessed. “I… may or may not have left the house to look for you when you didn’t come.”

Leaf didn’t know whether to be flattered or upset. She weighed it quietly in her head.  
“If you’d been caught…”  
“It’s the boonies, it wasn’t likely that anyone important would see me. I was just lucky enough to come across Thomson on my way. Besides, I promise I'm good at hiding if I have to.”

“Still… If something happened and you got taken away… I don’t know what I’d do.”  
“I could say the same for you. The rest of us depend on you too, you know. That’s why I left in the first place.”

There was a short silence between the two. Leaf was the first to break it.

“Thank you, Sierra.”  
“Of course. Oh, and the kid was right.”  
“Hm? How do you mean?”

“Your blood _does_ in fact smell good.” She gave a sharp grin.

* * *

After unloading the groceries with Sierra’s help, Leaf decided she had enough excitement (and anxiety) for one evening, and collapsed into bed. Deciding to do some absent-minded scrolling on her phone until she passed out, she unlocked the screen and was greeted by a series of notifications.

 **  
< 6 Missed Calls>** **  
****< 18 Text Messages>  
  
** **< Sierra>  
**<<| _where are you? I’m getting worried  
_ <<| _leaf, please answer me  
_ <<| _I’m leaving the house to find you. If you get this please call me asap  
_ <<| _found thomson, please don’t go anywhere_

  
She felt a pit in her stomach, enough to make her get out of bed and head back into the living area, where she wrapped her arms tight around the echidna on the couch from behind.

“I saw your texts. I’m so, so fucking sorry I worried you.”

Sierra blushed. She never seemed to get any more used to physical affection, at least not when initiated by others, and so she found herself caught severely offguard. After a moment, she put her hands on her host’s.

“It’s… it’s fine. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanna give another thanks to the amazing [@englepsi](https://twitter.com/Englepsi) on twitter for the art of Dessa. She's a super cutie, but well, if I got dragged away into the night by a bat girl, I'd find her scary too.  
>   
>  **  
> Character Spotlight: Ms. Thomson  
> **  
>   
>  _(Reference pic: Elena, Final Fantasy VII. Admittedly I tried to scour the internet and couldn't find a source for this particular artwork, it's just widely spread.)_  
>   
>  **Full Name:** Unknown _(mostly because nobody’s asked!)_  
>  **Age:** 26  
>  **Height:** 5’8” (173cm)  
>  **Skin:** Warm Ivory  
>  **Eyes:** Blue  
>  **Hair:** Sandy Blonde  
>  **Favorite Movie:** Clueless  
>  **Trivia:**  
>  • The youngest of three, and the only girl. Her brothers aren’t _mean,_ per se, but she definitely became a lawyer to prove her worth.  
> • The sunglasses she tends to wear on official business are prescription; she has relatively awful vision. But hey, she feels cool when she switches between them during conversation.  
> • Because of her heavy focus on her job and prior career, she’s a relatively solitary person who doesn’t tend to talk about her personal or romantic life… if she even has one. It’s easy to see why she began to consider Leaf a friend due to this.  
> • Has a bit of a Diet Coke addiction.  
>  **Author Note:** Possibly because I’m a fan of Akira Toriyama, I’m in the habit of silly naming conventions (hell, half the chapter titles are named after quotes or songs). The coordinator’s name in _Monster Musume_ is a plain one, Ms. Smith. Ms. Thomson’s name came from Tessa Thompson who, like Will Smith before her, was a government agent in the _Men In Black_ franchise.  
>  _(Side Note: Although the reference pic above is art of Elena from FFVII, Elena wasn't the inspiration in the least; the pic just popped up on google & happened to just match almost perfectly for what I envisioned.)_


	28. Self-Reflections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Here. I’m not even really sure why I have this, but…”_  
>   
>  With the arrival of Thanksgiving Leaf finds herself feeling closer than ever with her homestays. Gio and Chelle find themselves pondering how their bodies are perceived by others.

As he lay in the bath, Gio looked down at his exposed body. Given the fact that harpies were all phenotypically female, it didn’t bother him that much to look like a “prettyboy.” After all, there was no masculine standard among his species to compare himself to— even binding his chest was something he had only picked up after seeing males of other species when he was younger. Either way it wasn’t something he could do for too long, so when he was bathing or alone in his room for longer periods, he tended to let his body breathe a little.

For everyone in the cabin, the bathhouse served as a point of relaxation and stress relief. For Gio, it also served as a spot of isolation. On rare occasion pairs of the girls would share the bath together, while naturally they tended to let the sole boy of the cabin have it to himself. He appreciated the sentiment, but occasionally wondered if he was missing out: it would be nice to all relax together, and he supposed they all had fairly similar bodies, but would it be uncomfortable for either party? Gio considered himself pretty relaxed, but he didn’t know if the others shared his feelings in this department.  
 _Although,_ he thought, _how do you bring that up?_ Maybe Leaf would be a good starting point, as they had some commonality in their… situation. He made a mental note to ask her later.

* * *

“Hm? What do you mean?”

Gio shifted awkwardly in his host’s doorway. “Well, I figure _you_ have some probs with your body, but you’ve bathed with each of the others, right? I just… kinda wonder if I’m missing out on getting close like everyone else, y’know? But I wouldn’t want it to be weird for anyone, so I don’t know how to bring it up…” 

“I mean, _I_ certainly don’t have a problem with it,” Leaf noted, humming as her eyes rolled back in thought. “Chelle hasn’t seen my body but she’s an open-minded girl, and Corin only saw it on the night of the full moon but she was super cool about it… but nah, I’d be fine, and I’d imagine they would too. I’ll casually float it to the others and see how they feel, if you’d like. I mean if anything, I feel like _my_ body is the outlier. You sure _you’re_ comfortable, though?”

An embarrassed smile formed on Gio’s face.  
“I’d appreciate that… And yeah, I think so. I think after the first time it would get easier, y’know?”

Leaf nodded understandingly. “For sure, it’s no problem. I want everyone here to be comfortable with each other,” she asserted, “and since we won’t be able to swim in the lake again for a while… I think everyone would agree that it’d be a nice way to relax together.”

The least likely case was going to be Chelle, so a bit before dinnertime when she knew the serket would be awake, Leaf stopped by her room to gently pitch the idea.

“...and it’s no pressure, obviously, I’m asking everyone. I just thought it might be a nice social activity as winter comes. Kind of like our own personal hot springs.”

Chelle looked a little hesitant, but was considering it. “I don’t have a problem with _him_ exactly… it’s more just me. I mean you’re still the only one who’s seen my body, so… it’s something I’m still scared of. Especially around a guy…”

Leaf understood immediately, crossing the room to sit on the bed beside her. “Speaking of, I guess I should explain why you’re far from the only one who’s nervous about that kind of thing. Did I ever tell you why my parents kicked me out?”

* * *

Thanksgiving morning was stressful for Leaf, as she had never tried to prepare a holiday feast for hungry liminals before… or a holiday feast _at all,_ for that matter. Fortunately, the others were more than willing to help, and by mid-afternoon, the center of their table was covered in vast amounts of the traditional foods.

It was strange, playing the role of group mom in a more literal capacity: Leaf found herself insisting that they go around the table and partake in the old cliché of saying what they were thankful for, as well as pushing her carnivorous homestays to at least _try_ some vegetables (though she had cooked a solid _three_ turkeys just in case she failed at convincing them). It almost made her feel aged, but she tried to keep in mind that the others, mainly Sierra, sometimes had to rein her in as well. The group complemented each other fairly well in that regard: they all took care of one another.

By the end of the meal everyone felt as though they had eaten _far_ too much for their own good, which Leaf assured them was more or less an unwritten tradition, and they all went their separate ways to nap it off. 

Before Gio could fall asleep, Leaf poked her head inside his room. His bed, flat to the floor just like Sierra’s and Chelle’s, was topped with an inordinate number of pillows which he tended to curl up in as he slept. It made for an endearing sight every time.

“I want you to know… I talked to everyone and they all seem cool with the idea of mixed bathing,” Leaf noted. “Though, Chelle is working on body image stuff so there’s a chance it may take her longer to get on the same level. I told her she was more than welcome to wear a top or something though, and she seemed much more open to that.”  
The sleepy harpy raised a claw in a thumbs-up and smiled. “I really appreciate it, Leaf. Thanks.”

She shook her head. “Don’t sweat it. We’re all family here.”

Leaf left and headed back to the living room. Finally having what she felt was a moment of absolute solitude she decided to settle down with the computer, trying to once again figure out her Christmas gifts.  
As she drummed her fingers in frustration against the laptop, Leaf caught her phone lighting up out of the corner of her eye. Seeing it was a text from Amy, she opened it immediately.  
  


<<👯‍♀️| _Not a lot going on here… mom is being her usual self. sorry i couldn’t see you today! Alex is making new friends though! LOL_

  
Accompanying the text was a picture of Amy’s ten-month-old son crawling after the family’s cat. Leaf giggled to herself. She had only met the kid once, in the hospital after his birth, but he was precious. And although she would have liked to see him again, Leaf knew it wouldn’t have been worth dealing with her parents. She’d invite her sister over soon enough.

“What’s so funny?”

Leaf looked to the hallway where Sierra stood with a smirk. As she moved closer, Leaf showed her the picture; Sierra wasn’t much for children but even _she_ could admit that it was fairly cute. 

“Are you still shopping?” Sierra looked down at the laptop’s screen. Leaf shook her head, closing it with a sigh.  
“Can’t seem to find anything right now, so I guess not. Couldn’t sleep?”  
“Nah, I’m not much of a day-naps kind of girl. Maybe I can help you think of something. Looking for Gio, right?”

The two sat close and bounced ideas off one another, with Sierra playing it a bit more serious this time. _Maybe something exercise related?..._ _  
_After a particular lull in their quest Leaf checked her phone, and once again seeing the picture of her nephew she thought to ask the serpentine something a little more personal.

“Hey, Sierra… We’ve known each other for a while now… ...Is there a reason you don’t talk about your family? Not that you have to tell me or anything. I’m just wondering why they never came up.”

Sierra exhaled a long, slow breath before speaking.  
“We don’t really get along. Or, I guess, I don’t get along with _them._ I have no idea how they actually feel. But yeah, I have two older sisters.”

Leaf playfully held up a fist. “Youngest child gang,” she chimed, bumping Sierra’s. She got a laugh, which was all she had really hoped for.

“... Here.” Sierra pulled up a photo on her phone. “I’m not even really sure why I have this, but…” As Leaf took it and looked carefully, she let out a small whisper of surprise.

The photo was taken in what seemed to be an arid location, and was of four echidna women standing next to each other. All four seemed to be nearly the same age and had the same hair color as well as sharp, deep brown markings decorating their faces. One of them, the woman who was raised up on her tail slightly taller than the others, was wearing more elaborately decorative clothes than the other three. Judging by her hair, she had to be Sierra’s mother: it had the same spiked intensity but came down in length to her hips. _She looks so young, though…_  
The other two girls in the photo looked identical to one another, but were unique by the fact that their hair was long and flowing, rather than spiked. They must have been twins.  
Perhaps the most glaring difference setting them apart, however, was their eyes: three of the women had eyes of gold amber; the fourth had deep red eyes that were reminiscent of earthen clay.

“You’re all very beautiful,” Leaf noted. “Wow.” Beside her, Sierra grunted.  
“I actually… came here to get away from them. Didn’t tell them or anything. Echidnas declined to participate in the exchange program. Out of all the serpentine tribes it’s just lamias, actually.

Leaf looked at the picture, humming quietly. “And these markings?”  
“They’re said to be facial tattoos that echidnas get when they come of age. Pretty hardcore, right?”

Her host turned to her. “But you don’t have them anymore…” Sierra, now aware of Leaf’s eyes intently studying her facial features, blushed. If it were anyone else staring at her, she would likely have lashed out. 

“It’s actually makeup,” she laughed quietly, trying to shake off her nerves. “None of them will ever admit that, of course, they’re too proud. I like the look but I knew it’d be a daily hassle to keep up as an exchange student so I just never bothered once I left.”

“Hm…” Leaf analyzed the photo once more before handing Sierra's phone back. “I know family sucks, obviously. You don’t get along with any of them?” 

There was a brief pause.  
“I… got along with my mom’s sister. Azema. Frankly, she was the mother I _should’ve_ had. But, well…” She swallowed. “She’s the one I prayed to on Halloween.”

Leaf didn’t know what to say. Maybe she had asked too much; all she could muster was a quiet apology.  
“I’m so sorry, Sierra.”

Sierra chuckled beneath her breath. “It’s okay, kid. Happens to the best of us.” She felt the warm touch of Leaf’s hand on her arm, and turned to see the blonde smiling sympathetically at her.

“Still, I am. Thank you for sharing with me, though.”

* * *

Chelle slipped off her shirt and studied her youthful body in the mirror. She used to like so much about herself, but it had grown difficult after leaving home. After him. She tried to focus on what Sierra had told her:  
‘ _Someone out there is always going to find you hot’._

After trying a few poses to feel better (though they also made her feel entirely silly), Chelle turned, looking over her shoulder into the mirror, and caught sight of her back. Her heart fell. She reached back, her fingertips gently grazing one of the small, circular scars— as she did, her tail twitched. She was grateful that her own poison didn’t affect her, but it didn’t make the pain of having struck herself any less severe. In fact, serkets had relatively little range with their tails compared to scorpions; it could be helpful, certainly, but the victim had to be very close so it was hard to control. Chelle had only swung at him in a desperate measure, and failed. The several long, linear scars across her back were a subsequent proof of her disobedience. She hadn’t tried again after that.

She thought about her new home. Not only was Chelle gracious to be in a place where she felt safe, but some of her housemates also had their own body struggles. It made her feel less alone and, for just a minute, her scorpion half didn’t seem so awful anymore.


	29. Jessie's Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Just be you, and everything’s gonna be fine.”_  
>   
>  Jessie comes over to hang out with Chelle, who tries her best to _not_ be an anxious wreck.

“I’m nervous…”

Sierra patted the serket on the back as they stood out front of the cabin. “Don’t worry about it. Just be you, and everything’s gonna be fine. She’s a sweetheart.” She hated the cold more than anything, but she braved it for a few minutes to support the girl beside her.

Chelle nodded; Sierra was right. And it’s not like she, y’know, _liked_ the girl or anything… it was just time spent together. Just time with two friends, completely platonic, where the serket had been fretting about her clothes and how she looked all afternoon. Totally normal stuff.

As the red sedan pulled into the drive, Chelle began fidgeting with her claws. Seeing this, Sierra cleared her throat. “She’s going to notice, kid. Deep breaths. _Hey, Jessie!”_

The brunette approached the two, donned in a white hoodie, with a big smile on her face.   
“Hi, oh my gosh!” She tightly hugged each of them, a sentiment that took Chelle by surprise as she was still not wholly used to it. The soft fabric of Jessie’s sweatshirt pressed against her face, and she felt a warmth grow in her chest.

“Okay you guys, I can’t do this cold, I’m going back inside,” Sierra said dryly. “Feel free to stay out here forever or something.”

As the resident ectotherm hurriedly went inside, Jessie parted from the girl before her. “Will you show me around? I’ve only seen the outside!”

Jessie’s sense of wonder reminded Chelle a little bit of Corin, though where Corin felt more prim and proper, Jessie was bubbly and enthusiastic.

“You guys have so much room, I’m jealous!”  
“The program paid for all the expansions,” Chelle recited. “Leaf says she just got lucky.” In fact, Chelle would say _she_ got lucky as well: if she hadn’t come across the cabin and tried to hide within… well, she’d probably still be out in the woods, constantly hunting for sustenance. She didn’t want to tell Jessie about that, though. She didn’t want to scare her off.

As Chelle opened the door to the bathhouse, Jessie gasped.  
“I’ve _never seen one this big, wow…_ Do you guys bathe together in here? It’s so big for just one person.” She looked curiously at Chelle, who had begun fidgeting with her claws.  
“Uhm… well, sometimes the others do. I haven’t, though.”

“Hm? Are you okay, Chelle?” There was a strange delicacy to Jessie’s bubbly voice. Immediately, the serket stuttered.   
“Ah—no—I mean— yeah! I’m fine. I just get weird about my body.”

Jessie’s voice maintained its calmness. “I know what you mean. It can be a little scary. Is that why you didn’t want to swim?” She put a hand on Chelle’s arm to assure her. The serket stopped fidgeting, but turned a bright pink in the process.

“UHM! D-do you… wanna watch a movie?”

* * *

As the others in the house knew that Chelle was nocturnal _and_ was planning on having a guest over, they allowed her to claim the living area for the evening. Leaf occasionally passed through on her way to the kitchen, but tried to pay them no mind— she was honestly glad to see that Chelle had someone else she was getting along with.

“I don’t know what any of these are…” Chelle confessed, as the human beside her scrolled through lists of streaming movies on the television.

“Okay, well let’s narrow it down! We’ve got action, romance, comedy, horror… what are you feeling?” Jessie knew that Chelle would defer to her, both because she was the guest and because she knew more about movies, but she at least wanted to help narrow it down.

“Horror or…” Chelle trailed off. She was a _bit_ of a romantic, but she didn’t know if it would be weird to suggest that to her new friend. Truth be told she was easily spooked as well, but horror at least felt interesting.

After a few more breakdowns of genres, they settled on a movie about demonic possession. As Jessie settled in, Chelle climbed up onto the sectional and lay sideways, turning her upper body. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but it worked fine enough.Sitting on furniture was not exactly Chelle’s forte due to her larger, less flexible body type, after all.

On multiple occasions she jumped in her seat, finding herself regularly whining as the tension built as well. At a particularly frightening moment, Jessie took Chelle’s smooth, tough hand in her own.  
“It’s okay! Here,” she cooed with a soft smile. Chelle squeezed tightly; the stacked tension from the scene had mostly flooded out of her body and was now replaced with butterflies. The only thought on her mind now was how kind Jessie was, and because of those thoughts she didn’t even flinch through the next scare.

“Is that comfortable?” Jessie looked over with a hint of concern. “You’re gonna be so sore after sitting turned like that for so long.” Chelle shook her head.

“It’s okay. My body’s kinda big, so it makes furniture a little difficult. I’m used to it, though.”

“You’re too worried about being a burden! Here,” Jessie directed, scooting a little further away before patting her lap. “Can you lay on your side? It’ll be way better for you.” She pulled her hoodie over her head, her shirt rising halfway up as well in the process and revealing her soft and curvy midriff to a pink-faced Chelle. After she finished, she piled the hoodie onto her thighs like a pillow. 

Shyly, Chelle rolled over and lay her head in the human’s lap. Maybe it was for the best, she thought, because now Jessie couldn’t see how unbelievably flustered she was. The feeling only intensified once the girl began playing with her hair during the movie; sure, Chelle was nocturnal, but it almost put her directly to sleep.

Around ten o’clock the pair headed to Chelle’s room, relinquishing the TV to the rest of the cabin’s occupants. As Jessie sprawled out across the bed, Chelle was trying to wake herself back up. _Too bad I can’t have caffeine without the other side effects…_ She yawned, a row of small sharp teeth glistening in the dim room.

“I guess being nocturnal means you don’t really need lighting in here, huh?” Jessie looked around; a few small lamps gave off a soft warm glow, but it was clear that Chelle wasn’t that fond of bright lights if she could avoid it.

The serket responded sheepishly. “Yeah, I’ve got good night vision so the lights are mostly just for everyone else’s sake.” She almost felt embarrassed by it, though she wasn’t sure why.

Jessie sat up excitedly. “I wish we could go on a night drive, then! My car can’t really fit anyone, but doesn’t that sound nice? Just driving around late at night, listening to loud music and singing and looking at the stars?”

In fact, Jessie was already seeing stars as she thought about it, which kept her from noticing Chelle’s fidgeting.  
“Yeah, it really does…”  
There was a short silence as Jessie heard her friend’s voice falling flat. She looked over to her and froze. Chelle was softly clicking her claws, and looked like she was about to cry.

“Oh my gosh, Chelle… What’s wrong? Am I making you uncomfortable?...”

Chelle’s eyes widened in surprise as she turned away, stammering.  
“What? N-no… I just… I’m nervous, I guess…”

“You don’t have to be nervous around me, I’m so sorry! If I knew I would’ve tried to help you relax more!”

“No, you do, you’re really nice,” Chelle confessed. “I’m just… not used to that. ...Leaf is basically the first human who was nice to me ever. I’m not used to good people, so I get kind of scared.”

The compliment made Jessie smile, but her heart broke at the follow-up. She hopped off the bed and kneeled, taking Chelle’s hands in her own and forcing the smile back onto her face.

“I like you, Chelle,” she said, kindly but with the same upbeat tone to her voice. “And you _deserve_ to have people who care about you, in all sorts of ways! I’m really sorry if I came on too strong, though…”

The serket was a little flustered at having her hands held, but she tried to disguise it. She wasn’t doing a very good job, however.  
“Came on too strong? Wh.. what do you mean?”

Now it was Jessie’s turn to blush.  
“Ah! Oh, wow… I thought I was being like, super obvious, I’m sorry…” As Chelle looked at her curiously, Jessie broke eye contact and looked down, her grip weakening on her friend’s smooth hands.

“Um, Chelle?…” Her voice grew timid and soft.  
“What do you… think of me?”

Chelle wasn’t sure how she was supposed to respond to this. In fact, she was a bit too frazzled to think about much of _anything._ In her silence, Jessie continued.

“‘Cause… I think you’re really pretty, and I really like being around you, and…”

“You do? My eyes don’t… freak you out?” Chelle was hardly able to grasp this; her six bright red eyes were another feature that made her feel like a monster, particularly around humans. She knew how most of them viewed spiders and scorpions in general, no matter how small.

“What? No! I think they’re beautiful!”  
“And my body…”  
Doubling down, Jessie put her hands in her lap. “Who cares! There’s a lot I don’t like about myself too, y’know…”

Immediately, Chelle closed the gap between them and hugged her tight, mumbling quietly into her ear.

“...I like you too. There’s a lot I’m scared of and trying to figure out, but Sierra’s helping me learn to like myself. And to trust people. And... I trust _you.”_

Jessie smiled, wrapping her hands around the girl in return. They stayed that way for a while, and eventually, she spoke up nervously.

“Um… can I ask you one more thing?”

Chelle nodded quietly. “Mhm?”

“Can I… kiss you?”


	30. Trim Up the Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“There’s so many, how do you choose?”_  
>   
>  The holidays are growing ever closer, and what's Christmastime without a tree?

After waking the next afternoon, Chelle's first stop was to Sierra’s room, to follow up on her evening with Jessie.

“She likes you, huh? _Hell_ yeah, kid, I _told_ you!”  
“I still don’t understand why, but…”

“Tch!” Sierra shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. _That_ part is the one we’re working on. She likes you and that rules, but _you_ also need to like you.”  
Chelle paused, uncertain. “What if she changes her mind?”

“Then I’ll beat her up, duh.” She put a hand on Chelle’s shoulder. “For real though, she won’t. Just take it all one step at a time, get to know each other better. It’s not like you’re committing to marriage or something.”  
  
That’s true, _marriage_ wasn’t on the table… but the serket still got highly flustered at the thought.

  
Sierra opted to stay behind for the day’s mission— one of the most important holiday preparations— as it involved being out in the cold (though admittedly she _also_ wanted more details from Chelle on the night before). 

Leaf had initially intended for her and Gio being the two to come along due to their combined strength, but the echidna offered Corin up instead, insisting “she’s got spirit, she’ll pick the perfect one. Trust me.” Her confidence sounded more like the pitch of an untrustworthy car salesman to Leaf than anything.

* * *

“There’s so _many,_ how do you _choose?”_

Corin darted throughout the trees in the lot, a fluffy pink jacket zipped up over her body. The mantid felt like a princess, wandering the woods in a fairy tale. Leaf couldn’t help but smile at the bizarre sight— they had been lucky enough to find a coat that was special order for insectoid liminals, and from behind in her winter clothes Corin could almost be mistaken for a four-armed human.

“I wish more of them were a little taller,” Gio confessed; at his height very few of the trees in the lot were taller than him at all, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Leaf shrugged.  
“You can buy super-tall artificial ones, but that feels like it kinda defeats the point. Real trees are where it’s at.”

Gio could also have been mistaken for human in his winter wear, except for his calves: a thick brown leather jacket and some baggy windbreaker-style pants concealed most of his feathery assets, making him look like he belonged in the NBA more than anything else. A forest-green ski cap covered his silver hair entirely.

At the very least, his height advantage helped find Corin, who was still living out her storybook fantasy amongst the fir trees.  
“I hate to admit it, but having a bird and mantis pick the perfect tree _does_ feel kinda right,” Leaf said. In her head, she wondered if that was stereotypical. “Sierra was right to recommend her.”

Gio stretched his calves, pulling gently on his talon from behind as he stood on one leg. “She was, but I’m willing to bet she just pawned it off because she thought it’d be boring.”

Leaf twirled her wrist in an exaggerated manner, a disinterested look on her face. _“A tree’s a tree, just pick one. I don’t know what you want from me,”_ she scoffed, performing her best Sierra impression. The two of them couldn’t help but laugh over it.

 _“Miss Leaf, how about this one!”  
_Thanks to Gio’s height the two tracked down the mantid quickly, who was standing by one particular fir proudly.

“Color’s good, still pretty tall… What do you think, Gio?”

From behind her, she could hear the mock-Sierra reply: _“Whatever, it’s a tree. Let’s go.”_ As Leaf laughed once more, Corin stood confused. A few seconds later, her eyes lit up.  
“Oh! Are you being Miss Sierra?”

Gio gave a thumbs-up to the girl. “Pretty good, huh? Anyway, it looks great. Let’s nab it!”

With the help of Gio and the middle-aged man who owned the lot, the tree was secured to the roof of the van and they made their way back to the cabin. Leaf couldn’t be more excited for her homestays’ first Christmas.

* * *

“We’re back! ...Where’s Sierra?”

Chelle, who seemed to be the only one present, skittered up to them. “Oh, she’s in the bath. She’s having a pretty hard time with the cold…” 

Leaf wanted to be frustrated, but then remembered that Sierra _was_ the only cold-blooded one of the bunch; she _probably_ needed this. Turning back to Gio, the pair went back outside to bring the tree in themselves while Corin and Chelle cleared space in the corner.

“It’s so _big!_ You guys really do trees inside for Christmas, huh?”  
Leaf smiled at the serket’s response; to Gio, every tree was too small, but for Chelle, the tree was well over two feet taller than her.

“One more thing,” the host chimed before sliding a large plastic storage pin into the room. As she popped open the lid, Chelle and Corin’s eyes sparkled. It was filled with shimmering baubles and ornaments and garland, as well as a wheel of tiny glass bulbs.

“First step is always the lights, then the ornaments. Shall we?”

* * *

After wrapping the lights and admiring her own handiwork Leaf decided to check on Sierra, briefly leaving the others to decorate. She knocked on the door to the bath and waited patiently.  
“Sierra? You okay?”

Upon entering she saw the echidna laying almost completely flat, her face inches above the water. She sounded more lethargic than ever. “I am… just, cold…”  
Leaf sat on the side of the expansive bath, making a mental note to buy a couple space heaters to help her through the winter.

“Well, we’ve got the tree set up… do you want to help decorate?” As she asked this, Sierra looked like she was nearly trembling; the thought of leaving the warmth of the bath upset her _that_ much, it seemed. It was kind of sad, Leaf thought; pity was not something Sierra invoked much of. _I wonder how awful being cold-blooded must be sometimes…_ She thought about it for a moment, before remembering something she was keeping in her room.

“You look so pitiful… If you join us, I’ll give you one of your Christmas presents early?”

A groan bubbled up from Sierra’s half-submerged face. “Fine… but can you turn the heat up first?”  
Her host smiled. “Deal. Wait here.”

 _Fiiiiine…_ Sierra thought. Her tail wriggled as she flipped to her front and approached the edge. She began to lift her body out of the water, but thought better of it as the surrounding air touched her bare flesh, chilling her. A few moments later Leaf returned carrying a rolled-up _something_ that seemed to be large, tan and soft.

“What is it?...” the echidna murmured, not wanting to lift her body out of the bath to get a closer look. With a flick of her arms, Leaf unrolled the object, a lengthy cable-knit stocking taking up nearly fifteen feet of space. Leaf smiled, proud of herself.

“It’s a tail warmer! Do you like it?”

Just as Sierra was not used to affection, she was _also_ not terribly used to receiving gifts. She was… a bit breathless.

“Don’t cry on me, now,” Leaf cautioned as she tossed a towel to the girl so she could dry off. A small, touched smile crossed Sierra’s lips as she spoke.

“This is… really sweet, Leaf. Thank you.” She got dressed faster than usual before sitting on the edge of the bath, trying on the ‘sweater’. It came up just above her hips and was _fantastically_ warm; her only concern was whether or not it would impede her movement. Her host was really… so thoughtful.

* * *

As it turns out, decorating a Christmas tree is easy if you have the help of several liminals of varied heights. What would have taken Leaf forever by herself was accomplished fairly quickly with each housemate decorating a particular area of the tree. As they admired their handiwork, Leaf pulled out a smaller box that she had been keeping to the side.

“Okay everyone, these are yours to keep too.”  
She handed one of the ornaments to each of them: For Sierra, a typical christmas ball ornament that was, instead, a green snake curled into a sphere. Corin received a glass ornament with two lavender orchid flowers hanging like bells, while Gio received a delicate ceramic angel… who had been customized to resemble a harpy. And for Chelle, an amber-encased scorpion embedded in the center of a silver snowflake design.

Chelle watched the snowflake spin before her eyes in fascination before looking up at her host. “You got these for us?” She tried to think of what the last time she was given a gift was, but it eluded her.

“Of course! Y’all are family, and when I was growing up I was given some of my own ornaments too, so it just… feels right. It’s nothing, really.” 

Before Leaf could say any more, she received a tight, four-armed hug from Corin, followed by Chelle. Laughing to himself, Gio joined as well.

“You’re too good to us, kid,” Sierra sighed, wrapping her tail around the group as a whole. Even she could stomach a sappy moment once in a while. Besides, she knew Leaf loved the season.  
  


From outside, there was a stirring in the branches. Someone was watching them intently.

_“There’s a bunch of them, wow! Ohh I can’t wait, we’re gonna have so much fun, eehee!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so here's the scoop: starting sometime after the Christmas chapters there's gonna be occasional explicit NSFW chapters that pop up. I originally was going to include them in a collection of side stories so that if you want to enjoy _Monster Outsider_ at a solely M rating you can do so and skip any straight-up erotica, with the most intense moments being like Sierra's solo scene in chapter 11 or the prelude to Corin & Sierra in the bath in chapter 12.  
>   
> What I'm going to do _instead_ is incorporate the chapters into the current story, because it's way easier and this way more readers of the story will catch them. There'll be a notice in the summary & notes of those specific chapters that they're Explicit rating, and just so y'all know those chapters will be **entirely skippable** if it's not your jam, and you'll miss nothing-- the implications of any explicit chapter are gonna be more or less mentioned in the one prior (like at the end of Ch. 12, for example).  
>   
>  _( **tl;dr** \-- starting around ch. 39, select (entirely skippable) chapters will be explicit, we goin from ecchi to hentai y'all)_


	31. Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"I know that look... trust me."_  
>   
>  Leaf receives a phone call from Thomson, who is severely stressed out from having lost track of someone.

December was going swimmingly, and Leaf could not be happier. When the weather grew colder the world seemed to move slower, and she was glad for a chance to take everything in. To revel in the Christmas atmosphere, the group all bundled up together on the couch and began watching holiday movies each night. Chelle occupied the portion of the sectional that ran perpendicular to the TV; as the others started to realize that most furniture proved difficult for her, they were more than happy to let her have that side of the couch so she could comfortably see the screen.

_"We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns, and syrup!"_

“Does he remind anyone else of Corin?” Sierra asked with a smirk. The others laughed, while Corin stuck her tongue out.  
“Don’t be upset because I have a zest for life, Miss Sierra.”

“Now hold on, Miss Mature just stuck her tongue out at me. Anyone else see that?”  
“I have _no idea_ what you’re talking about. I saw nothing.”  
“Oh _can it,_ Gio, of _course_ you’re on her side,” Sierra hissed.

Chelle found herself unable to keep from giggling. Even though she rarely took part, there was something delightful about watching everyone play-fighting.

A bit further into the movie, Leaf’s phone went off. With a sigh, she hit the pause button (to jeers from her homestays) and walked into the kitchen to speak to Ms. Thomson.

“Thomson? Hey, how’s it going?”  
From the start, it was obvious that it was _not_ going well.  
“Leaf, thank god, hi,” she spilled the words with little room to breathe, “I need to ask you something really important.”

“Uhh, sure, what’s up?”  
“You haven’t…” Thomson paused for a moment to collect herself, “...seen Desdemona around, have you?”

Leaf didn’t know at all what she expected, but being asked about the bat girl that more or less tried to kidnap her wasn’t on the list. From across the room, she and Sierra made eye contact. “Uhm, no, I haven’t. Did you lose her or something?” The question elicited a weary sigh from her coordinator.

“She’s run off on a whim from her host family two or three times now. I’ve been able to track her down thus far, but each time it seems like she’s definitely been heading southward toward Lake Callery… so I figured I’d check in with you. Let me know if you hear anything, okay?”

“Sure, how long’s she been gone?”  
“She left sometime yesterday evening. Honestly though, you’re only a half-hour or so away from Desdemona’s host family so if you haven’t come across her, then maybe I was wrong. I just know she seemed fond of you. … ...Leaf? You there?”

Leaf shook her head; her mind had slipped deep into thought for a moment. She spoke cautiously, as though she was trying not to startle someone.

“Stayyy on the line, for a minute, okay?”   
The collective of liminals watched her pass the couch and open the sliding glass door, taking a few steps out onto the deck without closing it behind her.

“Leaf, what the hell, it’s _cold!”_ Sierra growled and curled up under the blanket as tight as she could, with Gio offering a bit of warm-feathered assistance.

It was a sight for the group, Leaf standing on the deck in cutely-patterned pajama pants and a sweater. She raised her hands to her mouth, cupping them, before calling as loudly as she could muster in a singsong voice:

_“DEEESSSSSSSAAAAAAA!~”_

For about ten seconds the world remained silent. Leaf tapped her foot as the others huddled close together for warmth, staring at her. Suddenly a loud _crack!_ broke the silence, as though a large branch from a tree had snapped clear in half. Among the subsequent rustling, something large and pale burst through the branches of the brown-grey trees, soaring toward her before landing on the deck’s railing and crouching happily. Inside, Sierra’s body tensed up at the sight.

“Hiya! How’d you know I was here?!”

Leaf lifted the phone back to her face with a sigh.  
“Yeah, she’s here.”  
Thomson exhaled in relief.   
“Oh, thank god. Can you… keep her occupied? I’ll be there in forty-five.”

* * *

The group of liminals stared at the small bat girl, who sat on an ottoman across them with her knees pulled in to her chest. Her white hair obscured her eyes, leaving Gio, Corin and Chelle uncertain if she could even properly see them. Corin was the first to speak up.

“Miss Leaf, is this a… friend of yours?”

Leaf laughed nervously. “I don’t know if I’d say that exactly…”  
Sierra, raising a single eyebrow, offered a followup. “Former kidnapper?”

The girl giggled, and Leaf shook her head. “This is… Dessa. We ran into each other while I was picking up groceries for Thanksgiving.” It was the most delicate way she could put it.

“After she ran away. And then flew you onto a roof,” Sierra added on.

“Thomson’s on her way down now to take care of everything.” Leaf turned to the girl beside her in concern. “Dessa… why do you keep running away from your host family?”

She shook her head; as she did, her shaggy white hair flipped around in front of her face.  
“They’re just so booooring! I had fun when I met you and I wanted to see you again! Plus look how many friends you have!”

Gio laughed to himself. “It feels like you’re starting to run a liminal shelter, Leaf.”  
“Yeah, _Leaf’s Home for Strays.”_ Sierra rolled her eyes. As she spoke, Dessa receded cautiously.

* * *

Once Thomson arrived, she took the young liminal onto the back deck to speak with her one-on-one. Thomson had adopted a similar demeanor to when she first spoke with Chelle: she was soft and kind, but firm. After five minutes of the group watching them from inside with no sound, Thomson stood and slid open the door.  
“Leaf, could you come out here for a minute?”

  
Frankly, _this_ was the reason she assumed Thomson had called in the first place, particularly since she sounded so stressed: homestay placement. It was something Leaf knew would probably happen again sooner or later.

“I’ve spoken to Desdemona’s host family, and they’ve been remarkably understanding about the whole thing. She was a bit of a handful for them, unfortunately, so… they told me they’re willing to sign over host rights if she feels she would be better suited elsewhere. Seems to be a completely amicable situation.”

Thomson turned to the girl, her voice softening once more.  
“I’m sorry you weren’t happy with your host family, Desdemona. Sometimes things don’t line up as well as they seem on paper. It’s my responsibility to make sure you’re content where you are, and I failed you. I need you to know, though, that Leaf here already has a lot of homestays with her,” Thomson gestured to her friend, “and she’s the one who gets to decide whether to take any more in. It’s a hard job.”

Dessa turned to Leaf, her claws resting upon her knees. “I promise I won’t run away! There's lots of room to fly around here! And I don’t need any furnitures or anything!”

Leaf glanced inside through the glass to her current homestays, with a pensive expression. Sierra already knew.

“I know that look,” she said quietly. “Leaf’s gonna adopt batgirl.” The way she said it didn’t sound like _disapproval,_ per se, but was laced with resignation.   
Chelle looked over at her curiously. “Are you sure?” In response, Sierra simply laughed.  
“Honey, that’s the same look she gave us when _you_ showed up. Trust me.”

“Not that I’m opposed to the idea, the more the merrier, but… do we have room?”

As the trio reentered, the coordinator thanked Leaf profusely and affirmed that she would bring the proper paperwork by soon.   
“Ohh it’s fine, just keep all this in mind when you get me a Christmas present,” the host teased.

When Thomson left, she took Dessa with her to gather her things and say her goodbyes to the previous host family. On the way there, she coached the girl on being polite and thanking them for all their hard work, as well as properly thanking Leaf for being willing to accommodate her.

* * *

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that at all.”  
Leaf shook her head as the others prodded her with questions. “Dessa will stay in the loft, so nobody will have to give up space or share or any of that. It’s perfect for her.”

“You’re too soft, Miller.”  
Leaf smiled. Sierra only called her Miller on rare occasions, and almost every time it was when negging her for fun. She was fine with it, really; it felt almost sportsmanlike.

“I really do hope everyone else is okay with it. If y’all are concerned, that’s important to me and I want you to tell me.”

Gio shook his head. “Already told them how I feel, so don’t sweat it with me.” Corin agreed; she rarely had a problem with _anyone._ Chelle smiled gently.   
“She seems sweet. And it'll be nice to have another nocturnal around.”

Finally, Leaf turned back to Sierra. The echidna’s opinion was perhaps the most important to her of all, even if she didn’t want to openly say it. She _was_ the original homestay, after all. With a sigh, Sierra replied. 

“...Sure, why not. But I stand by what I said before. If she bites you or tries to suck your blood or whatever, I’ll destroy her.”

As Leaf laughed and agreed to her terms, Chelle’s smile shifted into immediate anxiety.  
_“Wait, she drinks blood?!”_

* * *

By the end of the night, Dessa was set up in the loft— she didn’t require a bed, which was a relief, so she took up even less space than anticipated. Like Chelle, she was also excited at the prospect of having a nocturnal roommate; the serket warmed up to her quickly enough once realizing that she was not actually in any danger of losing blood to the girl.

As everyone else went to bed, Sierra stopped by Leaf’s room to check in.  
“So. Five now, huh? You sure you’re up to it?”

Leaf set down the book she was reading and shrugged her shoulders. “Well… if I still had to cover everyone’s expenses, I would’ve probably declined. But Thomson did us a huge favor with that and… I dunno, who am I to turn away someone who wants a good home? Y'know?”

Sierra closed her eyes with a chuckle as she shook her head.  
“You’re a really good person, you know that?” As their eyes met again, she smiled. “It’s admirable.”

Leaf was flustered and a bit unnerved by the out-of-character compliment. “You’re being awfully nice… what’s going on?”

The echidna shrugged.  
“C’mon, don’t make it a big thing… You’re just too hard on yourself, and I think you deserve to hear that for once. That’s all.”

Maybe she _did_ need to hear it. Either way, the words stayed in Leaf’s mind for the rest of the week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dessa's entry is now on the [Monster Outsider Character Bios](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27789826) page!


	32. Batgirl of Callery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“If it’s part of Miss Dessa’s lifestyle, then who are we to deny it?”_  
>   
>  Leaf helps Dessa adjust to life with her new housemates, and the group decides to kick back and relax together.

Due to Dessa’s short stint in the program already, her new host didn’t have to worry about helping her acquire clothes and the like. Not only this, but the setup for her new “room” didn’t take much time at all. Because the loft had a large, triangular window, Leaf simply hung a curtain rod in the corner with black draping, allowing Dessa to seclude herself for sleep without being awoken by the sunlight. The girl assured her new host as well that she was a particularly heavy sleeper during the daytime, so they needn’t worry about waking her with any noise as she rested.

During Dessa’s first full day in the house, Leaf sat down with her in the kitchen to work out any specific needs that the new homestay might require.

“Okay, and how about dietary needs? What do you like to eat?”  
The vampire-bat girl was sitting in the kitchen across from her host, her knees pulled up against her chest like before. _I can’t believe she’s older than Chelle,_ Leaf thought. _She’s so tiny…_

Dessa thought about it, a claw to her mouth as she pondered. “Well, I really like blood…”  
Dryly, Leaf replied. _“Of course,_ how could I forget. Is it necessity, or?”

Shaking her head, Dessa replied in earnest like a student reciting a passage. “Blood is best, ‘cause it’s got a lotta protein, and I like the taste the most, but I can survive on other stuff too! I just don’t like it as much.” She stuck her tongue out in mild disgust. Leaf nodded as she typed the notes into her phone.

“Ohhhh _kay._ And, if you don’t mind me asking… how much blood would you normally drink in a day? Do you have the same caloric requirements as a human?”

The girl looked at her, with slight confusion. She thought it out in her head. “I guessss about a liter? I think that’s right…”

Leaf stared at her, then back down at her phone. Having no idea what the hell to type, her fingers remained in place.  
“So, if you fed off me when we first met, you probably would’ve killed me. Cool.”

Dessa shook her head vehemently. “Nuh-uh, not at all! That wouldn't be enough to kill someone! And besides, I have to jump around to different sources all the time!”

“Hm, well… that's a lot, but I'm sure I can figure _something_ out, lemme think…”  
In truth, Leaf hadn’t the slightest idea how she was supposed to care for an avid bloodsucker. Maybe if she started drawing small amounts of blood per day from herself, she could stock up for the girl…   
_Wait, what am I thinking?!_

“How about the butcher?”

The two looked up to see Sierra leaning over the back of the couch. “He's probably got a contact, right? I’m sure he’d be willing to help procure some cow’s blood if you asked. Not like anybody’s gonna be using it.”

Leaf nodded as she typed away on her phone once more. “That’s a great idea. I’ll check with him about that tonight. In the meantime, Dessa, do you mind living off something else, just for a few days?”

She didn’t love the idea, but the bat girl agreed anyway. The lady she was with now was trying, and it made her really happy.

After getting the meal situation squared away, Leaf spent some time catching Dessa up on their holiday plans. She’d already been aware of Christmas from her past host family, but being part of a group celebration with other liminals sounded like a lot of fun.  
“Don’t feel like you have to get anything for anyone, though,” Leaf advised. “You’re one of us and you’ll be taken care of, but it’s only ten days or so til Christmas so trying to catch up now would be pretty last-minute.”

_I need to hurry if I'm gonna get her something, though…_

Perhaps it was the fact that the cabin was used to newcomers by this point, or perhaps it was everybody’s relative open-mindedness, but it didn’t take Dessa long to fit in with the group. Sure, she was a little immature for Sierra’s liking, but it was Leaf’s decision and she knew the human was doing her best to make their home an accommodating space.

“Leaaaaf, come take a bath with me!!”  
The small bat girl tugged on her host’s hand, shortly before the others were considering going to bed. Leaf looked at the time, then back at the girl. “I guess that’s fine. It’s not too late,” she said with a smile.

“You guys mind if I join?”  
Sierra leaned against the doorframe, watching the two with her arms crossed. “If it’s alright with the kid, of course.” She nodded to Dessa. In actuality, she wanted to keep a close eye on the pair due to their tumultuous first meeting.

“Do you mind bathing with multiple people, Dessa? We’d been talking about the idea since it’s getting colder, but if you’re not comfortable, it’s not a problem of course.”

Dessa beamed. “Yeah, that sounds fun! We did that a lot back home!” Sierra began to trail back to her room.   
“It’s settled then! I’ll ask everyone else.” _No way am I leaving them alone…_

* * *

It was admittedly adorable for Leaf, seeing the bat girl splash around in the full tub. Her excitability rivaled Corin’s, although even the latter might have found her to be a handful. As the others filtered in and took turns rinsing off under the showerheads, Leaf looked between them. Not everyone was present.  
“Is Chelle not coming?”

Sierra shook her head. “She’ll be here, she just wants to put something on first.”

Surely enough, a few minutes later the serket entered, wearing a thin wrap that flowed loosely around her body. Leaf and Sierra smiled at her as she shyly made her way into the bath, more or less reserving a corner for herself.

This was the first time several members of the group had actually seen each other’s bodies, so it felt a little strange at first. Dessa didn’t notice in the least; she was so comfortable with the idea that it felt like second nature.

Although Leaf had seen Sierra and Corin before, she still found herself in admiration: their curves were immaculate, and she quietly wished she could compete. She also prayed that any signs of her admiration didn’t arise while she was naked around her homestays.

“Damn, Gio, look at you…” Sierra growled with a raised eyebrow. It was the first time any of the others had seen him in the nude; Leaf saw him shirtless one time, but that was about it. A single strip of binding tape helped to flatten each breast, looking surprisingly natural despite covering his nipples.

He laughed nervously, raising a wing. “Yeah, well…” As he did so, the muscles in his side and stomach flexed gently. The girls tried, and failed, not to stare. Even Chelle, who generally tried to mind her own business, couldn’t help it.

As she turned away, the serket looked around at the other girls. Seeing Sierra and Corin naked made her feel inadequate, just as Leaf did but the new girl helped with that. Although Dessa was nearly old enough to drink, were she human she could easily be mistaken for six or seven years younger. _Bat demihumans must have evolved to be small and light like harpies,_ Chelle thought.  
Dessa’s chest was almost entirely flat, two small pink buds poking out from the most minuscule of curvature, which made Chelle feel infinitely more comfortable in her own skin. Maybe soon she’d be comfortable enough for others to see her own body.

“So this is something you’re used to, Dessa?” Leaf looked at the girl curiously. Sometimes it was difficult to tell where she was looking, as her hair always covered her eyes. She didn’t seem to mind, though— her senses were very keen, and she tended to face whoever was speaking.

“Uh-huh!” Dessa was sitting close beside Leaf, happy to be in her new home. “Back home it’s really common. And we do social grooming too!”

“Social grooming?” Corin inquired, looking at the lean figure.  
“Yeah! The girls bathe together and all clean each other!”

Chelle blushed, as did Leaf. The host’s mind quickly turned to a dozen or so girls similar to Dessa, all playfully washing one another in a natural spring.   
_...Oh._

“Yeah, weeeee don’t do that here,” Sierra cut in. “‘Fraid you’ll have to wash yourself, kid.” As she spoke decisively, Corin responded with an accommodating nod.

“Well, things like that _are_ well established in many cultures… if it’s part of Miss Dessa’s lifestyle, then who are we to deny it?”

As the two snapped back and forth, Gio and Chelle watched them amusedly.

“I’m _not_ letting batgirl bathe me!”  
“She doesn’t have to be the one to, you know. Why not let Miss Leaf bathe you?”  
“Wh—… I—… _She_ doesn’t need to do it either!”

“You’re turning pretty red, Sierra,” Gio chuckled. “I think you’d have a great time! What if _I_ did? I won’t bite.”

The conversation progressed, and Leaf found herself giggling along with the others. It was fun to see Sierra get flustered, as it was particularly rare. As Corin’s wandering mind worked out the particulars she recited it aloud, having easily gauged everyone’s comfort levels over time.

“Well, if Chelle’s had Miss Leaf assist her before, then we start there…” As she spoke, Chelle’s tail curled inward in embarrassment. Hearing it said aloud felt so _weird._ “... then Chelle washes Dessa, Dessa washes me, I wash Gio, then Sierra and back to Leaf. It’s a perfect circle!”

She smiled, proud of herself for the logistics. Gio looked upward and nodded, as though he was picturing it in his head.  
“Works for me!”

“I’m not doing that!” Sierra hissed, the others laughing once again. Corin giggled, nudging her affectionately with a claw.  
“You’re so easy to rile up, Miss Sierra. None of us were actually going to push you into it, you know…”

“Corin’s right. Besides,” Leaf began with a smile, “maybe it’s a bit too close to a harem for my liking. Not that I wouldn’t mind the attention.” She winked at the echidna, who raised her eyebrows and gave a fanged grin.

“Oh _really?_ That’s a little forward, Miller, careful what you wish for.” 

“We have those back home, too!” Dessa said happily. The conversation was bouncing around so quickly that Chelle began to feel more than a little lost.  
“Wait, you have what?”

“Harems! Lotsa times our tribes will pick one mate and everyone shares them with each other!”  
Leaf turned a bright red. She didn’t want to think about it. _Why was she thinking about it?_

“I don’t know… Miss Sierra doesn’t believe in sharing,” Corin giggled. Immediately the echidna snapped back at her.

“There’s nothing to _share!_ I’m protecting her from horny little bugs like you!”

Leaf was paying no attention to the bickering; as their new homestay mentioned “everyone sharing one mate” her hips flushed with heat and she suddenly became hyper-aware of the several nude… and attractive… liminals around her once more. As she tried (and failed) to clear her mind, Dessa playfully climbed into her lap and sat down. The unexpected grazing against her hips— and the sudden 'result' that it began to trigger— brought Leaf back to reality instantly.

 _ **“…**_  
_**… …**_  
**_… … … OHHH_ KAYY, ** **I’m done I think! Time for me to go to bed, y’allhaveanicenight, Igottago…!!”**


	33. Confessional

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“I don’t know if I can do this anymore…”_  
>   
>  It's Christmas Eve at the Lake Callery cabin, and all Leaf wants is for it to be memorable. She gets her wish, but not in the way she anticipated.

“There’s no pressure, kid. Don’t let me push you.”

Chelle stood outside of the bath in a baggy white tee shirt, holding her arms nervously. Due to her cold-blooded nature, Sierra found herself spending far more time in the bath through December, and by the time Christmas Eve had rolled around, Chelle had approached her with a request. If she trusted _anyone_ at this point it was Sierra, and while it took a while to work up to this point, she wanted to take the leap.

“It’s okay, really. I wanna be comfortable with everyone else in the baths. Or… around Jessie. Y’know, like… if anything ever ‘happens’.”

Sierra nodded. She had already had a bath when Chelle approached her, but for the sake of the girl’s attempts toward self-love she certainly didn't mind taking another hot dip.

“Makes sense,” she replied. “Intimacy of any sort is hard as hell for a lot of people, even if you’re _fine_ with your body.” She explained how she approached the topic with Leaf, the first time they bathed together: a simple “count of three” approach. The idea was nerve-wracking for Chelle, but seemed fair enough. 

After a minute of adjustment to the soothing temperature both girls shed their tops simultaneously, and the serket immediately blushed. Now that it was just the two of them she had a more personal look at Sierra, whose body seemed far nicer than hers and virtually unblemished. As Chelle looked away awkwardly, the echidna stopped her.

“Nuh-uh. Own it.” Their eyes met, and Sierra gave an assuring and proud smile. “I mean, look at you! You look amazing! Look at those boobs!”

All six of Chelle’s eyes rolled in disbelief.   
“Yeah, look at them. There’s hardly anything there.” Her breasts were petite, it’s true; next to Sierra she almost felt like a child… though at the very least there was _something_ there, compared to their newest housemate.

“Small boobs are in,” Sierra said with a chuckle. “Also, no girl has ever turned down another girl because of her tits. Seriously. I need you to realize that. Jessie will love you.”

She was a bit embarrassed, especially as the thought of being that intimate with Jessie crossed her mind, but Chelle couldn’t help but smile.   
“...I really appreciate you doing this…”   
She glanced down at her own body, quietly turning to observe it from different angles. 

“It’s easy to let our trauma define us. To let it linger over every part of our lives,” Sierra advised. “And for what it’s worth, most of us here have some insecurity, or something we’re trying to get past, even if we… don’t talk about it. Hell, I’m sure even Jessie does. You never have to feel alone or weird or different, with us. Promise.”

Chelle splashed forward and wrapped her arms around Sierra, who now found _herself_ to be the one blushing. After taking a moment to process the sudden, unexpected show of affection, she smiled softly and patted the girl’s back.

“It’s hard to trust someone with touch, and especially with your body. But once you can, even with one person, it all becomes a bit easier,” she affirmed.   
Chelle squeezed her gently. 

“Thank you for taking all this time to help me,” she murmured quietly. While Chelle held on, Sierra became infinitely more aware of the girl’s chest pressed up against her, and the closeness of their hips. She tried to shake the realization away before her body responded to it.

“Chelle, listen…” she said softly, rubbing her back. “You’re a good kid. And I’m really proud of you. Jessie thinks you’re cute, and she’s right to. It’ll all be fine.” In the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but be a bit irritated by her own sudden maternal instinct.   
_Man, am I taking a liking to this girl? Who_ ** _am_** _I?_

Chelle nodded, her head resting on Sierra’s breasts. “You’re right. Thank you. I’m just nervous… confused, too. Aren’t humans and demihumans not allowed to get together?”

Sierra rested a claw on the serket’s arm, their red eyes meeting.

“It’s definitely… complicated. And I know you don’t wanna feel like you’re sneaking around. But if you really want to make this work, I’m sure we can figure something out.”

There was a low click; the two parted and looked to the source of the sound.  
Someone must have opened the door, seen the pair and thought they were interrupting an intimate moment, and closed the door again. Sierra’s stomach turned.

_Gods, please don’t let it have been Leaf…_

* * *

After locking her door, Leaf quietly curled up on the bed in as tight a ball as she could manage. She stared at the painfully bright phone screen in her hands; as she blinked, it became blurry. Tears were beginning to cloud her vision.

 _Hold it in, Leaf… hold it in…  
_ She couldn’t. Her thoughts spiraled and before she knew it she found herself sobbing, her pillowcase gradually becoming wet and smudged with eyeliner. _Why am I so fucking upset?..._

Sierra said she’d do better. She said she’d be more forward. Was she _that_ unable to change? Was this… anger? Sadness? _Jealousy?_ Her head hurt too much to tell, and though she didn't entirely know why, she wanted to scream. Once she was able to control herself, she found herself impulsively dialing a number.

_“Hey, Leaf, what’s up?”_

“...Hey… ...I’m really sorry to call you over the holidays, I just… I don’t know what to do.” She would have preferred to sound composed, but even thinking about the situation made the tears start up again.

On the other end of the line Thomson replied gently, like a teacher consoling an upset student. “Talk to me, I’m here. What’s going on? Is it one of the homestays?”

Leaf choked out a sob. She had no clue if she should be saying this… she knew the repercussions could be beyond nasty. But she just… couldn’t take it.

“... it’s Sierra. I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I really, really don’t…”

There was a pause as she tried to swallow her tears. Thomson took a deep breath and spoke up again, more firmly.

“Just tell me what you need me to do.”

* * *

It was obvious to the rest of the house that Leaf was upset, but she refused to let it impact everyone’s Christmas. The mere presence of Corin and Dessa helped to boost her mood; the mantid was always so kind and polite that it lifted the spirits of those around her, and the latter’s childlike wonder was infectious. 

It was the most cliché possible Christmas Leaf had celebrated thus far— they watched some of her favorite holiday movies, drank and listened to music while sitting around the fire… by evening, Leaf found herself feeling a bit better, provided she didn't look at Sierra too much. The echidna tried to approach her a few times throughout the night, to try and explain herself one-on-one, but there was never enough time.   
Leaf hated to say it, but it was even getting hard to look at _Chelle_ now. 

They capped off the evening with Leaf reading _‘Twas the Night Before Christmas_ to everyone. Kitschy, perhaps, but she wanted it to be authentic. It had been… a long, long time since a real Christmas. Beneath the tree, a gift lay wrapped for each of the homestays, addressed from their host. She had waited to put them out until today, knowing that curiosity might get the better of them all— particularly Sierra and Dessa.

As it grew late everyone retired to their rooms for the night, though Chelle and Dessa did otherwise as they hadn’t been awake for nearly as long. They spent the rest of the evening hanging out in Chelle’s room, planning to go to bed after all the next morning’s festivities as it would be the equivalent of “staying up late” for them.

Though the pair didn't know it, they weren't the only ones awake. Now that the house was quiet and lonely, Leaf found herself not only unable to sleep, but flooded once again with the mental image of Chelle and Sierra in a nude embrace in the bath.  
_‘...if you really want to make this work, I’m sure we can figure something out…’_

She downed a couple shots of vodka to warm herself and slid open the back door. It was absolutely frigid out, but at least she knew she could be alone. She’d been acting cheery all evening, and while it worked for a while, it all drifted away at the conclusion of the night when she found herself alone with her thoughts once more. Leaf leaned on the rail, staring out at the silent lake and all its barren trees. As dead a scene as she currently felt.

 _What a lousy fucking Christmas…_

  
About five minutes later, the door behind her slid open. She didn’t move, least of all when she heard the familiar voice call her name.

“Leaf… listen…” 

Leaf had been fairly convinced that due to the sheer cold Sierra wouldn’t follow her, but she seemed to be mistaken. She didn’t respond.

“I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. And I meant it when I said there was nothing there. Chelle’s like a little sister, seriously. It’s not like I’m trying to fuck everyone else out of spite after you turned me dow—”

That was all it took to set Leaf off. She spun around immediately.  
“Turned you _down?_ I said I wasn’t comfortable and _you_ said that was perfectly okay. And then you tried to _fuck me_ on the night of the full moon anyway!” With each sentence, her voice grew louder and more harsh. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to sit back and watch you play around with other girls? When… when other humans make me feel _disgusting,_ and any kind of solace with a liminal could get me _arrested?!”_

Leaf couldn’t help it anymore. She was practically shouting; her throat burned and the wind hitting her tears felt like ice piercing her skin.

Sierra’s eyes widened at the mention of the full moon incident. Leaf… had never told her that.   
... _I tried to do_ **_what?_ ** _…  
_She wrapped her arms tightly around her own body. She couldn’t bear the cold much longer. “I do, Leaf… I really do. I promise…”

“You have _no idea!”_ Leaf was laughing incredulously through her tears. “You say you want to protect me, I _like_ when you protect me… but I can’t take it anymore. I’m sorry. You’re not protecting _shit_ if your actions are still hurting m—”

_**“I’m in love with you.”**  
_

_...  
... ...   
... ... ...  
... ...  
  
_

The night fell silent apart from the slight howl of the wind. Absolutely frozen, Leaf swallowed, the pain grinding in her ragged throat. She looked stunned, confused.

“...You… what…?”

Sierra sighed. “I love you… Leaf. And I’m so fucking sorry. But I do. …And I know that’s not fair, especially with you telling me how hard it is. ...I wasn’t going to tell you yet.”

She paused for a moment more, receiving no response, before continuing.  
“…I can’t handle this cold anymore. Again, I’m… ...I’m sorry.”

The echidna retreated back into the cabin, sliding the door closed behind her.

It was another five minutes until Leaf could bring herself to go back inside. Her head was absolutely swimming, a heavy thump beating in the back of her skull like a kick drum. She made her way through the empty living room, feeling more drunk than the vodka should have allowed, fully prepared to collapse onto her bed and try to forget the world until morning. As she crossed the threshold, she noticed something lying on her pillow.

A small, long white box, the size of one that might contain a watch or something similar.  
With shaking hands, Leaf picked it up and removed the top.

  
  
  
_(Leaf's pendant illustrated by[@mahalagram_](https://www.instagram.com/mahalagram_/) on Instagram.)_

A length of thin, gold chain dangled from her fingers. At the bottom, weighing it down and spinning gently, was a shimmering green stone about an inch in height, cut in the shape of a leaf.   
Wrapped around the leaf was a bright golden snake with two minuscule red stones in its eyes. A small, folded piece of paper lay in the box with it; unfolding it, Leaf found Sierra’s scrawled handwriting, with six words:

 _  
merry christmas, leaf_ _  
_ _I love you_

* * *

Sierra lay on the bed, rubbing her temples. She had fucked up repeatedly, and Leaf had every right to be upset with her, but she just… wished this argument could have happened later. She also wished she had grabbed a liquor bottle from the cabinet before retreating to her room— her buzzed state would probably fade before too much longer, undoubtedly giving way to a headache.

As she tried and failed to clear her mind, she found herself pulled out of thought by the sound of her doorknob clicking. With a weary sigh, Sierra moved her hand from her eyes.

Standing in the doorway, makeup blurred from her tears, was Leaf.  
Hanging from her neck was the golden necklace she had received.

She quietly closed the door behind her and the two stared at each other in silence for what felt like an eternity, before Leaf took a hesitant step forward. Then another. And another. Before either of them knew it, she collapsed onto Sierra and their lips collided furiously, refusing to part. The girl was absolutely trembling, her hands gripping tight; between breaths, Sierra managed to squeeze out two words: “ _you sure?”_

She was answered immediately by Leaf’s hips, which pressed tight against her own as she tugged ineffectively at Sierra’s shirt. Between the heavy breaths and whimpers the both of them disrobed in seconds, with Sierra’s claws all but tearing the clothes off her host. As Leaf felt the long, cool tail wrap around the lower half of her body and pull her close, she gasped. Sierra’s hips were tight against her and in the haze she could no longer tell their bodies apart; the warm, increasingly wet hips beneath her may as well have been her own. A moment later, Leaf let out a sharp whimper, followed by a staggered exhale— their bodies interlocked and an overwhelming warmth took her in. Her thighs twitched as the serpentine held the both of them together, softly pulsating, grinding in place.

As Leaf felt Sierra’s hand on her cheek she turned and kissed it, letting her claw graze her lip.

_“Don’t be afraid to hurt me…”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been anticipating this chapter for a long, _long_ time, and I'm finally glad to have it out there.  
>   
> Happy holidays to you all. ♡


	34. Vignettes ~interlude~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of flashbacks, telling the full story.

### Night of Remembrance // Sunday, October 31st

“I think I’ve… …There’s one more thing I need to talk to you about, aunty…”

Sierra knelt before the glowing lantern with tired, burning eyes, her throat sore from the sobs she tried and failed to hold back.

“I think, maybe, I’ve met someone. I don’t know. The girl Leaf, that I’m staying with… She’s so… kind, and thoughtful and perfect, and I’ve been so obscenely protective of her. I thought it was just instinct; I mean you know how we are, right?” She chuckled softly.

“Echidnas pride ourselves on our ability as guardians and warriors, and _all_ serpentines command lust… But something’s different. I…”

She swallowed, taking a long, slow breath before saying the words aloud for the first time.

“…I think I’m falling for her, aunty. And I’m so fucking scared, I have no idea what I’m supposed to do…”

### Before Dinner // Monday, November 1st

“This is stupid. This is so fucking stupid.”

Shaking her head, Sierra put on her leather jacket over the dress. _No, that looks awful… Fuck!_ Taking it off again, she sighed and unlocked her phone. Looking back at her from the home screen was a selfie that she and Leaf took together not long after she moved in.

_What the hell impresses you?..._

She recalled Leaf saying she liked how protective Sierra was. _Should I channel that?..._ She slid off the dress, threw together a more intimidating outfit, and stared at herself in the mirror.

“No no _noooo,”_ she groaned, tossing the clothes to the side. “Too conservative, and not even formal. Gods, this sucks.”

She looked back at the dress laying on her bed. _Fine, okay, whatever. I’ll try to make this work._

Sierra didn’t own _much_ makeup, but she would make do with something strong and simple. She slid open a drawer in her dresser and dug past a pile of underwear to where a small basket of trinkets hid, withdrawing a pair of earrings. Echidnas loved small, cute things, but this was at odds with their tough exteriors so they didn’t show it much. She figured by this point that Leaf knew anyway, so why hide it.

Fifteen minutes later, Sierra was staring at her own reflection.

“This is awful…” She thought the serpentine in the mirror was _attractive_ by some metric _,_ sure, but it felt so _forced,_ so abnormal. Her eyes began to tear up.

 _This sucks, this sucks so bad. I just want her to think I’m pretty._ **_Why_ ** _do I want her to think I’m pretty?_

“Sierra? You okay?” There was a quiet knock on the door.

 _Shit!_ She fumbled her phone, which knocked against the mirror on the way down.  
 _Don’t cry, Sierra. You’ve got this. Just tell her you can’t make it tonight. She’ll be sad, but… it’s for the best._

“Yeah, I’m fine…” 

### Talon // Friday, November 12th

“Uhm, it’s just… scorpions, they… dance, before mating…”

Sierra looked down at the blushing serket before her. _Shit… I gotta handle this delicately…_

“Chelle, listen… You’re wonderful, and sweet, and you deserve the world. And at another time in my life, I’d absolutely consider that offer. I’m super flattered that you trust me like that, I know how hard that is for you. But I’m… trying not to hook up with people right now. I think it’s bad for me. Is that okay?”

With an understanding nod, the girl hugged Sierra tight. “I understand. If that ever changes, well… you know.”

The echidna chuckled to herself. “You’re a surprisingly good kid, you know that?

  
~~~

  
The ride home was relatively quiet. Most everyone slept, with the exception of Sierra, who eyed Leaf quietly from the back and wondered how to make it up to her. 

_I’ve really gotta figure this out… Fuck, man._ After a minute or so of blankly staring at her phone, she opened her messages with a heavy sigh and began typing.

> |🐍>> _volva, i really need your help  
> _
> 
> <<🍄| _sure thing babes, what’s going on?  
> _
> 
> |🐍>> _leaf is really upset with me… i want to get her something special to fix it, but i’m bad at this… i don’t know what i’m supposed to do?  
> _
> 
> <<🍄| _hmm gotcha. well what do you want the gift to say?  
> _
> 
> |🐍>> _don’t laugh  
> _ |🐍>> _i want it to say “i fucked up”... but more importantly i need it to say “i love you”  
> _
> 
> <<🍄| _eee! ok, got it. next question is, how much are you willing to spend?_

### Christmas Eve, 4:23pm // Friday, December 24th

“... it’s Sierra. I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I really, really don’t…”

She tried to calm herself, finding it strangely difficult. Thomson took a deep breath and spoke up again, more firmly.  
“Just tell me what you need me to do.”

Leaf paused, swallowing the sob in her throat. “I… I think I love her…”

There was silence on the other end. For a moment, Leaf was scared that she shouldn’t have said anything. But, well, she didn’t know who to turn to, and so she prayed that Thomson was willing enough to see her as a friend in this moment.

“...hrm. Do you know how she feels?”  
“No. There was a while where I thought, maybe… but she flirts with _everyone._ And she’s slept with others here.”  
“Well, that doesn’t necessarily _mean_ anything, exactly… some people are just flirty, you know? She’s clearly fond of you, at the least. And this sort of thing is not that uncommon, hosts and their homestays developing feelings.” Thomson was more or less grasping at straws; it was bad to give false hope, but she couldn’t say much about the situation at this point and just had to be there for the girl.  
“Just… please keep me posted with this, okay? Now, how can I help right _now?_ Cat pics? Bad selfies?”

Leaf laughed quietly, drying her eyes. “Both, please…”

### Christmas Morning, 2:30am // Saturday, December 25th

_“Please… again…”_

Sierra laughed softly at the human wrapped in her coils. “ _Again?_ You need your sleep, baby, it’s almost Christmas…”  
Leaf shook her head.

“I don’t care. I don’t want this to end…”

The echidna studied her host’s face; she had never actually seen this expression on her. Desire, passion, _security,_ all at once. She looked as though she felt… found.

“One more round, then sleep. Okay?”

This wasn’t a promise that either of them kept. The two found themselves sleepily staring at each other afterwards, their limbs tangled together, talking in hushed whispers.

“...When did you know?”  
“I had suspicions ever since our first night at Talon, but… I thought it was just lust. That’s what I kept telling myself, at least.”  
“That was the first night you called me ‘baby’, you know… plus the romantic drinks… I was so confused…”  
“I didn’t mean it that way at the time… or, I didn’t _know_ I did,” Sierra quietly laughed to herself before confessing once more. “But oh my _gods,_ when I got home that night, I came so hard thinking of you. You drove me crazy starting then.”

Leaf couldn’t help but giggle; it was immensely flattering. “I can’t believe I didn’t know sooner, myself. I thought I was just jealous.”  
“So you believe me about everything, now? Corin, and Chelle?” Sierra gave a scared but hopeful smile. In response, Leaf nestled her head on the echidna’s soft chest. 

“Mhm… I’m sorry for acting so possessive…” She shuddered as a claw gently traced circles along her back.

Sierra shook her head. “Don’t apologize. I guess it’s something we both kind of share. _Now,_ the sooner we sleep, the sooner you can give me my present, obviously. Not that this wasn’t enough.”

Again Leaf giggled, refusing to argue the point. After all, the claw running along her back was making her awfully sleepy.

“Hey, Sierra?...”

“Mhm?...”

“... I love you, too.”


	35. It's a Liminal Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Guess the cat’s outta the bag, huh?”_  
>   
>  Christmas morning has arrived, and everyone couldn't be happier.

“Miss Leaf, wake up! It’s time for Christmas!”

Immediately after leaving her room, Corin crossed the front hall and knocked on her host’s bedroom door. After waiting several seconds, she gently knocked again, cracking the door and calling out. “Miss Leaf?...”

Leaf’s bed was empty. The mantid furrowed her brow in confusion before poking her head out into the living area where the others were up and ready for the morning's celebrations.  
“Have any of you seen Miss Leaf?” 

It was an amusing sight no matter who you looked at— the seven-and-a-half-foot-tall harpy, wearing a set of red-and-black flannel pajamas, was busy scrambling eggs over the stove. Dessa and Chelle were both clad in tremendously oversized tees, with the bat’s sleeves cut further vertically to accommodate her wingspan.

As the two youngest liminals shook their heads, Corin turned to Gio. He was responsible, surely he'd know.

“Gio, have you seen her?”  
There was silence as the harpy continued to cook their breakfast. A small smirk crept upon his face.

“...Gio?”

Shuffling the spatula around the pan, he laughed to himself and finally responded, his gaze still cast downward. “I probably shouldn’t say anything, but. Check Sierra’s room.”

Corin tilted her head curiously. “Well, okay…”  
  


After heading down the hall, Corin gently rapped her knuckles against Sierra's door.  
“Miss Leaf? Are you in there?”  
Just as before, there was no response. As quietly as possible, she opened the door to peek in and let out a small giggle at the sight before her.

On Sierra’s mattress were two entwined figures pulled close together, bare flesh on flesh, with Sierra’s long tail draped over the human’s body at several points.  
Corin cleared her throat before speaking a little louder, though still in a delicate sing-song voice.

“Good morning Miss Leaf, Miss Sierra. Merry Christmas.”

The messy pile of limbs stirred. Leaf’s groggy voice arose from the heap.

 _“Mmf...morningcorin… …_ **_...Corin?!?!”_ **

Leaf bolted upright, staring blankly at the pink-haired girl before her. She scrambled to cover herself with the sheets, but they had been tossed to the foot of the mattress during their night’s passion. As she shook Sierra urgently, the echidna began to stir as well.

“Mm… I haven’t slept that hard in _ages,”_ she mumbled.  
“Sierra,” ... _patpatpat…_ “Corin’s here. Like, right here. In our doorway…”

“Mm, wha?...” Sierra glanced out the corner of her eye before sitting up and stretching her arms above her head, her breasts perked up on display for the both of them. She flashed a sleepy, toothy grin.   
“‘Morning, mantis. Guess the cat’s outta the bag, huh?” As she casually greeted the girl, Leaf clumsily searched for her clothes. Looking between the two, Sierra chuckled.  
“Give us a sec, we’ll be right out okay?

  
Several minutes later Sierra made her way into the living room, clad in her tail warmer and a sweater. A few feet behind, Leaf walked in nervously, wearing her same clothes from the night before.

Gio put down the pan and started clapping, though it was mostly just performative teasing— having feathers meant the claps were almost entirely silent.  
“Took you guys long enough. Honestly, congrats on that. Try to be a little quieter next time, though.”

With Gio's comment, Leaf turned a bright shade of pink and sheepishly rushed into her room to change. Throughout most of breakfast, she'd find herself entirely unable to make eye contact with any of her homestays. This was fine enough; Sierra didn't mind doing the talking for both of them.

“I told her I had feelings for her last night, gave her my Christmas present early, and… well, guess it went over pretty well.” She found herself smiling softly as the others beamed. 

“Well? What’dja get her?” Dessa asked excitedly as she sipped on a large, bland-looking protein shake. Gio had made her a steady supply, particularly because the rest of the house didn’t feel they could stomach watching someone drink blood at the breakfast (or in Dessa’s case, dinner) table.

Leaf blushed as she felt the claw graze her collarbone, lifting up the pendant for the others to see. The girls gasped, with Corin almost slamming her hands on the table in shock. Chelle's jaw dropped.  
“It’s so _gorgeous!”_

“I’m not even gonna _ask_ how much that cost,” Gio noted, pointing a fork at the pair, “but it’s lovely. ... ...Leaf, you okay?”  
He eyed their host, who had said hardly a word. As she felt Sierra’s hand rub her back, she slipped back into focus.

“Yeah, I’m sorry… I'm just a little embarrassed…”

“Don’t be!” the harpy replied cheerfully as he shoveled some more bacon into his mouth. “We’re all happy for you two, really. I mean, Corin called it _forever_ ago, but still!”  
The mantid giggled, revealing a bright smile of small, razor-sharp teeth. A few seats down, Chelle set down her drink and addressed the metaphorical elephant in the room. It hadn't left her mind, as she was more or less dating a human now too.  
“But… what about Ms. Thomson?”

A pall fell over the group for a moment. Gio, Corin and Dessa hadn't given this a second thought in all their congratulations; unsanctioned relationships and intercourse between humans and liminals were taboo and could lead to deportation or arrest, and everyone knew it. Leaf shook her head, breaking the silence.

“I actually… called Thomson yesterday. She at least knows part of the situation,” she explained as she turned to Sierra, who was unaware of the previous day's phone call. “But, I think it’s going to be fine. She understands and I think she’ll be okay with it. We’ll see her soon, anyway.”

The cabin had decided as part of their holiday planning to have a New Year’s celebration, as Sierra was adamant that the group hadn’t had a chance to drink and party in a while. Chelle invited Jessie, and Thomson had also agreed to come by— Sierra was particularly excited for this as she wanted to see Thomson “drunk as fuck,” to use the words she said to Leaf during planning.

Once their stomachs were full and the new-relationship talk had been exhausted, Leaf herded the homestays into the living room to exchange presents. As gifts were passed out to one another, Corin lit the fireplace to complete their holiday ambience. 

* * *

“Whoa, this _rules!_ Thanks Leaf! _”_ _  
_ Gio held up the clothes: two sets of athletic wear for harpies, emblazoned with the silhouette of a furry clawed fist holding a barbell, and the words “SPORTS CLUB KOBOLD.” It was top-of-the-line exercise apparel, as far as products for liminals went. 

“There’s more where that came from,” Sierra nodded. “The girls and I split and got you some weights and light equipment to go with it. Your room can be your own personal gym.”

Sierra may have been used to the others’ affection but she was not used to harpy hugs, particularly from an extremely tall, extremely fit specimen. She grunted at the squeeze.   
“Oof, okay, you’re welcome, let’s just keep it moving…”

A few feet away from them, Corin squealed.  
“Aaaaaaahh, Miss Leaf, I _adore it!_ How on earth did you _do this?!”_  
The girl was twirling in place, clutching a pink baju kurung to her chest, decorated with a pattern of thin branches that bore small white flowers. Most surprising to Corin was the fact that it was modified, with four sleeves to fit her own body. In the box along with it was a sheer white headscarf.

“A _lot_ of research,” Leaf confessed. The mantid was so clearly proud of her own background that Leaf had looked into her culture herself, and aimed for a gift that would remind her both of her home and of their time together.

Chelle stared at the box before her. She hadn’t exactly received a Christmas present before… and surely the others hadn't either, but something about this felt so strange to her. She tried to brush aside the notion that she didn’t deserve it, and lifted the lid.

Inside was a large book, about twelve-by-twelve inches. As she opened it she found the pages shiny but blank.

“It’s a photo album,” Leaf explained as she sat down next to her. As she spoke, the other homestays traded a few more gifts of their own.  
“I know you had a lot of bad memories, and that a lot of this has been kinda like starting over for you. New world, new home, new family… it can be a lot.” She smiled gently. “So, this is to help you make your new memories! Go on, there’s something underneath.”

Chelle was speechless. She rustled through the paper beneath to find another small box that contained a polaroid camera.  
“The pictures on these come out instantly, so as soon as you take one you can put it in here or give it to someone! … … Oh, Chelle, _oh no, honey…”_

The serket had begun crying; before anyone else could see, she grabbed Leaf in a tight embrace with her arms and claws, sniffling into her host’s shirt. Leaf rubbed the back of her head gently.

_“It’s perfect, thank you so much for everything…”_

* * *

Before the pair of nocturnals made their way to bed in the late morning, there was one more thing to be done.

“Dessa, would you do the honors?” Sierra directed to their newest homestay. With an excited nod, the bat girl jumped up and soared into the loft, returning a few moments later with a white box in her claws that was roughly the same size as a shoebox.

Leaf ran her hand along the lid gently. For some reason she was almost… _afraid_ to open it. Maybe it was the five of her homestays all looking at her intently. She tried to lighten the tension that only she was feeling.  
“This isn’t something that’s gonna bite me, is it?”  
As she lifted the lid, her face shifted from hesitation to confusion. A series of envelopes sat among a nest of brown shredded paper.

_  
Leaf_

_To Leaf_

_Miss Leaf_

_♡Leaf♡_

_Merry Christmas, Leaf_

  
“They’re… letters?... I don’t understand…”  
Sierra curled up beside her. “Mhm. From each of us. To you. Saying how much we appreciate you and all you’ve done for us.”

Beneath the pile of letters, partially obscured by the crinkled paper, was a silver frame that housed a photo of the group from their lake day. Breathlessly, she looked over the picture; everyone was damp and smiling, and everyone looked _so happy._ Even Leaf, who had been afraid to swim that day, and who didn’t think anything of Sierra’s arms wrapped over her shoulders during the taking of the photograph, looked… _happy._ Corin gave a peace sign, while Jessie and Chelle stood side by side, beaming. Behind them towered Gio, who was waving to the camera.

“I know Dessa’s not in this one, but we’ve got plenty of time to take more pictures,” Gio pointed out. His face fell to an empathetic smile as as their host began to tear up.

Now, it was Leaf’s turn to cry.

* * *

“I hope you’re not disappointed, but… here’s mine.”

As Chelle and Dessa went to bed the others went their separate ways as well, with Sierra and Leaf retreating into the former’s room. Standing just inside the door, Leaf held out her hands nervously. Sierra took the small box and unwrapped it with ease using a single claw. At the top of the box's contents was a thin, plastic case housing a silver disc, with a note written on the surface in black permanent marker.  
  


[_Sierra’s Mix_ _  
_ _merry christmas!_ _  
_ _\- Leaf♡_](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/35kQjoVTod5JLiTH5H0DaG)

  
Beneath it was a portable CD player, along with a pair of earbud headphones.

“I told you back in like, October, that I’d make you one. ...It’s possible you’ll hate it, but I think I did okay,” Leaf said sheepishly. The echidna smiled and pulled her close.  
“You did _amazing,”_ she confessed with a kiss. “I’m so excited for this. Do you wanna listen to it with me?”

Leaf blushed and nodded. “I’d like that. ...There’s _…_ something else, too. Optional, though. Only if you want it. Remember that photo you showed me? Of you and your family?”

Sierra looked at her with hesitation. “Please tell me you’re not inviting them.”

“No, no! Uhmmm, well…” Leaf stammered nervously. “Those facial markings you wore. You said you liked the look but it was a pain to do daily, right?”  
“Uh... _huhh…”_ Sierra gave a nod. She still wasn’t following.

“Well like I said, completely up to you, but… how would you feel about _actually_ getting it _tattooed?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back when I had the idea for Leaf to make Sierra a mix CD, I put myself in her shoes— that headspace of, "if I were a girl who knew this badass predator of a woman, and wanted to make her something that could reflect how fucking cool I thought she was, and how much some human girls rock, what would it be"… while also reflecting that Leaf is a) a bit of a dork and b) completely unaware at the time that she actually has real feelings.  
>   
> I made it a rule of thumb not to include any of my own favorite artists or tracks because I wanted it to be an in-universe creation, not something I'm shoehorning things in out of my own preferences. After all, it's not a mix made by the author, it's a mix by a girl with a crush on a liminal that she perceives to be much cooler than her. Regardless, I really enjoyed getting into Leaf's head for that one. If you didn't catch the link, it's above in her 'signature' as she presents it.  
>   
>  _(PS before you call me out, I know I didn't say what Leaf got Dessa. It gets mentioned later on, I promise.)_


	36. Letters ~interlude~

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peek at the letters that Leaf's homestays wrote her for Christmas.

> Hi Leaf!
> 
> Everyone said we were writing letters to you for Christmas! I don’t really get it, but I’m excited ‘cause it’s part of your gift! 
> 
> Sierra _(note: she’s using voice to text on your laptop for this since she can’t write, she keeps saying “sear a” instead so I fixed it before printing it for her —Sierra)_ told me that I should also say sorry for scaring you when we met. I really am sorry!! She was a lot scarier at first, you know. I liked _you_ a whole bunch but snakes like to eat bats so I was worried. She’s actually kind of a softy when you get to know her though! I know I’ve only been here about a week but I feel like you understand me way more than my last host family and that makes me super happy so thanks! They would have never tried to get me fresh blood.
> 
> Uhmmmm I don’t really know what else to say, I’ve never written a letter before! I hope this is enough but thank you and Merry Christmas and you’re great!
> 
>   
>  _Dessa_

* * *

> Hey boss!
> 
> Merry Christmas! It’s been about two months since I got here, which is absolutely crazy. So much has happened and I totally couldn’t have asked for a better host family while I’m here. All of us are super lucky to have you. I also never would have expected a host who was going through the same stuff I was, so it was a heck of a relief. I know that kind of thing can be hard, and it’s probably been worse for you since I didn’t have any boys growing up to compare myself with, but you’re beautiful and I hope you know that we’d all throw down for you if someone hurt you. 
> 
> I feel kinda lame saying this part but we said we’d all be open, so… it’s nice to feel like I have family again, y’know? Being alone is freeing but after a while it can get kinda old. I bet you know how that feels too. It’s good to wake up and know I’m gonna be sharing breakfast, or laughing with someone each day. The air feels fresher on my morning runs now. I know the program doesn’t last forever, but with how close everyone's gotten I hope you know we’d all stick with you as long as you wanted.
> 
> Thanks a bunch, girl. Let’s have a dinner ourselves sometime so we can vent anything the others don’t get, yeah?
> 
>   
>  _— Gio_

* * *

> Hello, Miss Leaf!
> 
> The holidays with you all have been amazing! I feel like I’ve learned so much, and I never would have imagined when I signed up for the program that I’d be living with all of these unique people! You’ve been a wonderfully gracious host, and I appreciate your and Gio’s willingness to always be open and honest with me, even when it proves difficult for you. In fact, I'd say Gio and Miss Sierra have almost become like older siblings to me, and I’m grateful every day that the program put us all together.
> 
> I admire all of you in different ways— Miss Chelle because of her sweet and overwhelming sense of empathy; Gio because of his honest, gentle and relaxed nature; Miss Sierra because of her strength and boldness in standing up for herself and others; and you for your wonderful, loving heart. I see it frequently but it stood out most of all when Miss Chelle first found us. The poor girl was scared out of her mind and you didn’t hesitate to help her and give her a place to stay. There are few people like you, Miss Leaf. I think all of us could attest to that. 
> 
> I appreciate your patience with me, and I do hope you know that Miss Sierra was being truthful when she said there was nothing between her and myself. If I can be so bold, I think she fancies you! Don’t tell her I said that, though, she’d have my head.
> 
> Merry Christmas!  
>   
> 
> 
> _— Corin_

* * *

> When I heard we were writing letters for you, I got nervous because I have no idea what to say to you that would ever be enough. I know I scared everyone at first, back on Halloween night, but you gave me a chance and… if this cabin had been home to anyone other than you, I don’t know if I would have gotten that chance. I don't even know if I would have found a place to live by now. If I hadn't come across you all it's possible that I would have been sent back home to my father, or… to the man I was with before. But I’ve gotten better at trusting humans because of you, too! You were kind and patient and let me take my time, and now I’ve even made friends with someone my age! You gave me clothes and my own room and a family again, and I hope someday I can make it up to you. 
> 
> The night after I came to stay with you, during our ceremony, I talked to my mom for the first time since leaving home. I told her all about you, and how beautiful it was out here by the lake. I try to talk to her more often now, since I’m safe. She’d really like you, Leaf. I'm sure of it.
> 
> Remember what I asked you when we first met? If the others were happy here, with you? You were right. They really are happy.
> 
> I’m happy now too.  
>   
> 
> 
> _— Chelle_

* * *

> ~~Hey, kid.~~ Leaf,
> 
> The point of these letters is for us to tell you how much we appreciate you, and our thoughts and all that. I think you know that I’m not very good at this kind of thing, but I’m going to try. There’s still a lot I want to say, and hopefully it will be easier just writing it out.
> 
> We’ve been together for almost four months now, and yet it almost feels like everything before is a hazy memory. I wonder if you feel the same. Do you remember our first night together, out on the pier? I knew that night that I’d have a lot of fun living with you. Then afterward you almost busted your ass because you were so drunk… You fell asleep afterwards holding my tail like a stuffed animal, and I didn’t have the heart to wake you. It was only the first day, and I already realized how soft and delicate and loving you really were. I guess with everything after that I wanna thank you for trusting me. I know I’ve fucked up and betrayed that a few times, but I pray we’ll be okay by the time you read this. That’s my hope, at least. 
> 
> Listen… by this point I’ve hopefully also given you the necklace and told you everything. If I haven’t, well… I’m sorry for how selfish this is.
> 
>   
> I love you, Leaf. I know this isn’t the most romantic way to say it, and I’m sorry for that, but… I do.  
> I had no clue at the time, but I was in love with you ever since our first night at Talon, when I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Even though I didn’t understand why.  
> I was in love with you when I told my aunt about you on Halloween night.  
> When I made you upset during our lake day and you almost stormed off.
> 
> And when I went looking for you on the night you met Dessa. I was so fucking scared that something bad happened to you. Before I could tell you.
> 
> I finally understood it on the night we all went out to dinner with your sister. I was trying to find the perfect outfit, I wanted to look beautiful for you and I wasn’t even sure why… and then I got so scared for you to see me, tough sardonic Sierra, looking vulnerable and feminine. I almost cried, even. And you came in, and even though I felt like a silly, girly caricature… you made me feel like the most beautiful creature to grace this earth. That’s when I knew. It hit me like a fucking truck and I couldn’t stop thinking about just the two of us out somewhere like that, together, alone, with wine and dancing and all that saccharine bullshit that I feign disinterest in. I wanted it all, and I wanted it with you.
> 
> I love you. And I don’t give a damn if Thomson has anything to say about it, because she’s not you. You are… kind, and warm, and thoughtful, and you just make everyone here so godsdamned happy when you’re around, which is something they’re not used to, and I really pray you know that. Because you’re so so fucking special, and you deserve to know that. You deserve the whole world.
> 
> I’ve held off saying all of this for a long time because I didn’t want to ruin anything, and because I wanted to respect your wishes about being platonic. But I don’t care anymore. I just hope you’re okay with it.   
>   
> 
> 
> _— Sierra_


	37. A New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"What’s your poison? Or is it dealer’s choice?"_  
>   
>  It's been a sentimental season… time to unwind with a New Year's party!

Although time felt like it slowed in the winter, the holidays came back to back: Leaf found herself making a list and checking it twice _after_ Christmas for her New Year's get-together, which she found herself unusually stressed about. The diurnal homestays were on duty helping her prepare.

“Okay, _so,”_ Sierra crossed her arms as she spoke to Corin and Gio, who were both seated at the kitchen table. “We don’t know for sure how Thomson’s gonna react, so we’re gonna play it light. Maybe get her a little sauced up before telling her. It’s the best way to increase our odds.”

Leaf, busy unpacking groceries, called Sierra out on this.  
“That hardly seems appropriate. She’s your coordinator.”  
The echidna shook her head.

“ _Our_ coordinator. You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Leaf,” she said, turning back to her peers. “We just want her to unwind a lil bit, and we’ll slip it in there casually when she's good and toasty. Any questions?”

Gio shook his head as he leaned back on the two rear legs of the kitchen chair. Beside him, Corin raised a claw. _They look like a pair of high school students,_ Leaf thought as the girl spoke up. _Cute._

“What about Miss Jessie? Do we need to worry about exposing her and Miss Chelle growing closer?”

Sierra thoughtfully stroked her chin with a single claw. “You’ve got a good point. Let’s go with the same plan there. They’re younger so it’s probably less of a big deal, but again it wouldn’t hurt to have advantage. Corin, you’re responsible for spreading the word to them.”

* * *

Leaf had been planning to learn to make mixed drinks ever since their first outing to Talon, but time had escaped from her. Shortly before five o’clock, as she walked into the kitchen with Dessa, they realized their resident echidna had laid out an array of alcohols from the cabinet as well as various mixers, making a list of the few things she might need out of a last-minute grocery run.

“Looks like you’ve got almost everything,” Sierra quipped, not looking up. “Could use some pomegranate juice, but it’s fine.”

Looking baffled, Leaf replied. “You’re not running a full bar or anything… you know how simple most of us are. And when did you have time to learn this?”

Sierra turned and replied with a shrug. “Helps to have a friend who’s a bartender.”

Leaf glanced down, her mouth hanging open slightly. “You’re joking, right?”  
“Huh? What’s up?” Sierra looked down at the shirt she was wearing.  
A long, plain white tee with bold black lettering. The same one Corin inquired about from when they went to the clothing store downtown, back at the beginning of October.  
**“PUBES ARE IN”**

“You _BOUGHT that?!”  
_ Sierra chuckled. “Uh, _yeah,_ it was hilarious. Of course I did.”  
Her host-slash-partner sighed in frustration. “Please don’t wear that tonight… go change? Please?”

Before Leaf could plead any further, they heard a knock from the front door.  
“That’s probably Thomson… I’ll be right back.”

As she left, the curious Dessa brushed her hair out of her face and looked in awe at the varied colors and shapes of the bottles on the counter. Sierra glanced down to her, noticing her expression.

  
“Do I get to have some too?”  
The echidna paused as she grabbed some glasses from the cabinet, looking down at Dessa.  
“Hmm. How old are you, kid?”  
“I’m twenty!” As she beamed happily, her hair flopped back down in front of her eyes.

The glasses hit the counter with a soft _clink,_ as Sierra hummed for a moment. From the hallway, she could hear the pair of footsteps headed their way; quickly, she leaned in to the girl.

“I gotcha covered, but don’t tell Leaf, okay?”

“Yay! Thanks, Seera!” Dessa wrapped her wings around the serpentine, who struggled to free herself.  
“That’s not… my _name,_ kid, gitoff!”

* * *

Sierra couldn’t help but raise an eye at Thomson’s outfit— frankly, even _Leaf_ was surprised. Nobody in the house had ever seen her in anything less than a suit, and yet here she stood in deep blue denim jeans and a white babydoll tee that lay beneath a teal hoodie. The drastic change made her look several years younger.

“Gods _damn,_ Thomson, who knew you could look this cute?” Sierra teased before making her a gin & tonic. It was early, Thomson noted, but the week between Christmas and New Year’s had her doing a lot of paperwork and host-family visitations in an effort to compensate for lost time. She deserved a drink. 

“You should see me when I’m at the beach,” she grinned. “Not that I’ve had the time to go in a few years.”   
With a smirk, Sierra raised her whiskey glass.  
“Honestly, it’s like I don’t even recognize you anymore.”

As Leaf and Thomson sat on the couch to catch up with one another, Sierra went to change into more appropriate clothes, encouraging Dessa to do the same. While they were gone, Chelle emerged from the hallway.

“Leaf, is Jessie here ye—” she paused for a second as she saw the other woman, looking her over before realizing who it was. “... Miss Thomson?”

The coordinator giggled. “Yes, hello Chelle. How are you doing?”

It was a bit of a shock for Chelle to see her dressed so casually, and Thomson would realize this after later having the same conversation with every subsequent homestay that saw her.

“Anyway,” Leaf addressed, “Jessie’s not here yet, no. Did she say she was on her way?”

Chelle nodded. “Yeah, do I look okay?...” She motioned down to her fairly casual outfit: a black v-neck tee with lace accents and a burgundy skirt, both of which complemented her nicely.

“You look great!” her host assured her. There was a knock on the front door, seconds before it cracked open.  
“Hellooo?”

A flustered smile grew on Chelle’s face as she turned to greet the guest.  
“Hi Jessie,” she said sheepishly. The brunette nearly kicked off her shoes in the entryway before running to the serket.  
_“Chelle, hiii! I missed you!”_ The two collided into a tight hug.

Turning to Leaf, Thomson asked quietly. “Who’s Jessie?”  
_Round one,_ Leaf thought. _Play it safe._  
“She’s a good friend of Chelle’s who lives nearby…”

As they glanced back over to the girls, Jessie kissed Chelle on the lips twice, giggling happily, before the two ran off to the serket’s room. Leaf panicked for a moment.  
“... a uh, very good friend…”

Thomson blinked, staring after them. Eventually, she just shook her head.  
“She’s under _your_ custody and she’ll be applying for citizenship as soon as she’s legally able. Which means… _not my problem._ Besides,” she gestured to her outfit, “I’ve done enough work the last few weeks. I’m off the clock.” She drained the rest of her gin & tonic as Leaf breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

By around seven, everyone had congregated into the living area where Thomson and Leaf were attempting to set up a karaoke machine. As they did so, Chelle and Jessie made their way to the kitchen, where Sierra was nursing a whiskey and watching the pair of blondes.

“Sierra, do we… have any caffeine?”   
The echidna glanced down to the short girl before her. 

“Are you _sure_ you should be drinking, Miss Under-21?” She flashed a smirk. For a moment Jessie looked confused, before Chelle explained the situation regarding serkets and alcohol. As she turned back, Sierra waved her hand dismissively.

“Relax, I’m just fucking with you. There’s a few energy drinks and plenty of soda in the fridge, help yourself. As for _you,”_ she raised an brow at Jessie, “you’re planning on staying the night, right?”

The brunette nodded.  
“If that’s okay,” she said politely, before Sierra held out a scaled hand.  
“No prob. Just gimme your keys and we’re good. What’s your poison? Or is it dealer’s choice?”

A cheer from the others signaled that their efforts by the TV had worked. They weren’t intending on singing right away— _I gotta be_ **_real_ ** _drunk for this,_ Leaf thought _—_ but better to get everything set up early and fairly sober so as to avoid problems later.

As it turns out, alcohol affected most of the homestays incredibly differently. By 9PM, they all had a healthy buzz going on and were laughing at each other’s stories— Sierra recounted how they met Chelle, which amused Thomson to no end. Even Chelle, who was laying on the floor with Jessie propped against her second abdomen, found herself giggling. From the other perspective the story felt much sillier.

“And Sierra was like ‘FREEZE!’,” Leaf giggled, nudging the echidna beside her who was rolling her eyes.  
“I didn’t say _freeze,_ I yelled not to move!” she groaned. “You make me sound like a cop!” As everyone laughed, a red-cheeked Gio chimed in from the opposite end of the sectional.  
“I dunno, Officer Sierra has a pretty nice ring to it. Ooh, or _Detective Sierra.”_

“Careful, birdboy, or you’ll be the first to get put in handcuffs,” the echidna sneered, throwing a pillow as Gio held up his hands in defense. As he caught it, Leaf grabbed Sierra’s arm fondly.

 _“You sure you don’t wanna pick me firsttt?~”_ she cooed in a singsong voice, leaning into her. Almost instinctively, Sierra’s tail brushed up her host’s legs as she gave a fanged, lustful grin. Corin’s eyes widened as she looked between the two and then to Thomson. The couple hadn’t even seemed to notice their mistake.  
“Miss Leaf, uhm…”

Immediately realizing what she'd said, Leaf sat up straight and blushed, letting go of Sierra’s arm. On the echidna’s other side, Thomson just laughed and shook her head.  
“I was wondering when you’d tell me, Leaf. I was worried after our phone call, but when I showed up tonight and you both seemed to be on great terms, I kinda figured that you hit it off.” She smiled and took a drink, before teasing them. “Honestly, you guys work well together and I’m happy for you. Just don’t do anything that will make me have to file more paperwork.”

Sierra squeezed Leaf’s thigh gently and did the speaking for them, as the human was prone to becoming way more flustered and emotional when drinking. Drunk Leaf didn’t appreciate the gesture, but Sierra knew that Sober Leaf would.

“You’re cooler than I thought, Thomson, I gotta admit. C’mon, let me top off your drink.”

The pair headed into the kitchen as Leaf blushed, the other homestays congratulating her on the coordinator’s blessing. She looked at Chelle and Jessie laying together, then to Corin’s bright smile. _I really am lucky,_ she thought.  
As Leaf turned to Gio, she gave pause at the bat girl lying across his lap giggling. Dessa's usually pale complexion was rosy, and a few feet away on the table was what appeared to be a Bloody Mary. A _deep red_ Bloody Mary.  
_Oh, Sierra…_

* * *

“So, Thomson, sate my curiosity.”  
Sierra topped off the drink with a lime and handed it to her coordinator, before leaning against the kitchen counter.  
“You got a boyfriend or anything?”  
Thomson nearly choked in surprise at the question; Sierra simply grinned. “What, too strong?”

“No, just didn’t expect that,” she replied, holding out her glass. “Can we go stronger, actually?”

“Atta girl!” Sierra took the glass and topped it off with more gin. “So? No one to speak of?”

“I _did,”_ Thomson began with some contempt. “Didn’t like how much work I was putting into my job, so he found someone else.”  
“Tale as old as time,” Sierra toasted with a fresh whiskey, before Thomson finished the thought.  
“...behind my back.”

Sierra drew a sharp breath through her teeth. “Oh, ouch.” She had never been in a romantic relationship back home; that kind of thing was rare for echidnas. “Side piece?”  
Thomson chuckled quietly. “Well, after long enough, I’m pretty sure _I_ became the side piece without knowing it.” She took a big sip from her gin & tonic. “But enough about that. Fuck ‘im, right?”

Laughing at the sudden addendum, Sierra clinked their glasses together. “Hell yeah! There’s plenty eligible young cuties in this house, y’know…” She smirked at her coordinator, who immediately started shaking her head.

 _“Ohhh_ no. If I were to date or hook up with a liminal it would obviously be someone outside of the program. That’d be too weird.”   
Sierra laughed.

  
“Ehh, when you’re right you’re right. C’mon, let’s go back.”


	38. Three, Two, One, Fireworks!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"Can’t blame ya, she’s cute, right?"_  
>   
>  The New Year's celebration continues...

_“Hello, little kitten…”_

The hiss in Leaf’s ear caused her to violently shudder as her partner wrapped her arms around her from behind the couch. Sierra chuckled as the warm, soft skin shivered beneath her scaled hands.  
“Oh, _someone_ enjoyed that,” she teased.

Leaf blushed and gripped Sierra’s arm. She… very much did, though she would find it absolutely embarrassing to confess this in front of the others. So instead she turned, kissed Sierra, and offered a subtle tug of her lip that said _absolutely yes, later._

Karaoke proved a unique trial for some of the homestays, due to being unfamiliar with a lot of music; fortunately, the three humans in the room offered to help and duet some songs. At one point in particular Dessa, the group's most lightweight drinker, found herself a blushing mess as Jessie sang to Chelle.

 _“Gioooo, look that’s so cute oh my gosh!”_ The bat girl gasped, tugging at his arm. He chuckled as her red eyes peered out from beneath her hair, captivated.  
_Oh wowwwww…_

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was Sierra getting up to sing. As she slid up before the TV, awkwardly holding the microphone in her clawed hands, Leaf cheered her on from the couch.  
_“Get it, Sierra!!”_

The echidna refused to let Leaf see it, but she was absolutely nervous. It was another, sillier moment of vulnerability, but the alcohol helped a tremendous amount. Fortunately, as the song progressed, she found herself able to loosen up more and more. Hell, the only reason she knew the song to begin with was because it was on the mix that Leaf had given her for Christmas. She looked into the human’s light blue eyes, a permanent smirk on her lips to hide her nerves.

 _~I wanna love you but I better not touch...  
_ _I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poisonnn!~_

Leaf was stuck in a permanent state of blushing, even though she was giggling and cheering for the seductive serpentine— though she did find herself genuinely flustered as Sierra’s wild eyes met her own during one particular line of the song.

_~I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name…~_

“Miss Sierra, that was amazing!”  
Corin always seemed to be the echidna’s biggest fan, despite their love of teasing one another. On the floor nearby, Chelle and Jessie joined in on the applause, the latter relatively impressed.  
“You could like, start a liminal rock band, y’know,” she encouraged. “You’ve totally got the voice for it!”

Sierra took a bow, thanking them in a somewhat cocky impression and slid back across the room to the couch, wrapping an arm around her red-faced prize. “You hear that, baby? I’m a _rockstar,”_ she drunkenly bragged. Moments later, Thomson hopped up to grab the microphone and called Leaf up to join her.

 _Now this_ was a show, Sierra thought to herself. Her host-turned-partner and her exchange coordinator, drunk and singing B*Witched together like two sorority girls at a party. At various points, one of them would have to stop due to a case of the giggles, while the other picked up the slack. 

_Ohh boy, maybe I’ve let them have a little too much,_ the echidna thought, despite being fairly far gone herself. Leaf put an affectionate arm around the blonde beside her while they shared the mic, jumping up and down as they sang. Sierra’s eyes followed them, admiring their soft, pale stomachs that became exposed with their repeated jumps. _Both delicious,_ she thought to herself, nearly salivating.

She loved Leaf, this much was true, but it was obvious to just about anyone that Thomson was attractive as well. There was no harm in it; after all, Leaf thought many of the homestays were attractive, but neither would ever act on something like that.  
_Although, maybe… hm._ _  
_ She filed that thought away in her head for later.

As the clock neared midnight, they switched over the TV to the New Year’s countdown— a process that took a surprising amount of effort, given the blood alcohol content of the two older humans. As they did so, Sierra and Jessie took the liberty of pouring champagne into a number of plastic flutes in the kitchen, passing them to each of the homestays.

Given their respective lack of dexterity, Gio and Dessa both found themselves holding their glasses with both claws. Jessie handed Chelle a flute full of one of her energy drinks, which was similar enough in color to the champagne that it still felt entirely appropriate.

The countdown began, and everyone huddled close. There was something strangely exciting to the homestays about the way humans celebrated a new year… It was a holiday that was incredibly festive for no particular _reason;_ everyone just gathered and partied and sang and cheered together. It was simple and ubiquitous enough to cross cultural boundaries. It was a new beginning.

 _“Ten! Nine! Eight!”  
_Gio and Dessa held their glasses up to one another, looking like two vastly different-sized children being allowed Just This Once by their parents to drink. 

_“Seven! Six! Five!”  
_Jessie took Chelle’s chitin-covered hand in her own and squeezed gently, causing the serket to blush.

 _“Four! Three! Two!”  
_Thomson and Corin linked arms with one another as the moment arrived.

_“One!”_

There was an eruption of cheers and fanfare on the television. Something Jessie hadn’t told Chelle about was the New Year’s “tradition” of kissing someone at midnight, which took her by surprise as the brunette’s soft lips suddenly pressed against her own, the two bursting into a giggles as they kissed.

Sierra had somehow been aware of the tradition, for as soon as the clock struck midnight, Leaf felt herself wrapped up in the serpentine’s tail— carefully, so as not to spill their drinks— and pulled close for a deep kiss.

Everyone downed their champagne (and champagne substitute) and cheered; after a moment Dessa began pointing outside as she scrambled to the glass door. “Whoaaa, _look!”  
_Somewhere over the lake, fireworks were being shot off, a brilliant scatter of light and thunderous sound to cap off their evening. It was the first time the majority of them had seen such a sight in person.

Not long after midnight, the majority of the group grew tired and decided to call it a night. Unsurprisingly Corin, who tended to expend a lot of her energy dancing, was the first. After giving each and every person in the room a tight four-armed hug, she twirled drunkenly into her bedroom with a goodnight.  
Chelle and Jessie were the next to go, heading down the dark hall to the former’s room as they held hands.

“Gioooooo, can I hang out with you toniiiiiiight?” The shaggy-haired bat girl looked up at the harpy beside her, who just chuckled.  
“Yeah, I’m cool with that. I’m not nocturnal though, so I can’t stay up forever.”

As Leaf and Thomson continued to talk, Sierra’s tail slid silently along the floor. The two blondes were a giggly mess, standing near the stairs to the loft and casually chatting despite the late hour.  
_I think they just need a little encouragement._

With a slight nudge, the tail tripped up Leaf, who stumbled and grabbed onto Thomson. The coordinator caught her, and for a second, their eyes fixed on each other. 

_Bingo,_ Sierra chuckled to herself.

In grabbing Thomson for balance, Leaf had a hand firmly on her breast. Immediately, she blushed and stuttered.  
“I— oh my god, I’m so sorry, I’m clumsy, I—”  
Thomson laughed, a bit red as well, brushing it off.  
“It’s cool,” she joked with a tipsy giggle, “it’s been a while since that so I guess I should say thanks.”

With sudden clarity, Leaf looked beyond Thomson’s shoulder to Sierra, hoping she hadn’t seen the incident. But she had, and was even smirking about it. She nodded toward Thomson, shooting off a wink. The host suddenly realized what was happening: Sierra was egging her on.  
_Oh my god I’m gonna kill her…_

Her eyes flicked back to Thomson’s, the both of them now unusually close and blushing. Even with the realization, Leaf had no idea what she was supposed to say. They softly analyzed each other’s silent expressions, and after a drunken, innocent moment Thomson closed the gap and they kissed.

It took several moments for it to sink in for Thomson that she had just kissed Leaf in front of the girl’s partner; as soon as it hit her she spun around in a panic to Sierra behind her.  
“Oh my god, Sierra, I’m so sorry, I didn’t—”

The echidna cackled as she rose from the couch. “You’re in a dry spell and you’re drunk. Can’t blame ya, she’s cute, right? Plus, it’s not like you’re gonna hook up with a liminal here.” She slithered closer. “Honestly, you two can do whatever you like, as long as I get to watch. I’m not worried…”  
Sierra lifted Leaf’s chin with a single claw.

“...this little kitten knows she’s mine.”

Leaf turned bright red and her legs felt like jelly. Sierra wasn’t wrong, but even _with_ her blessing a single drunk kiss felt like a betrayal. The two stood there, dumbfounded, as Sierra headed toward the hall.

“Either way, I’m going to my room. The thought of two blondes has already got me salivating, and that mental image is how I’m planning on capping out this night.” She winked, and disappeared into the darkness as the two looked back at one another.

“I really am sorry, Leaf… it was just a slip-up.”  
Leaf shook her head.

“Yeah but… Sierra tripped me into you, on purpose. She started it.”  
“She wha..?” Thomson mumbled, blushing. “Ugh, this is my fault…”

“What? No. Why?”

“I told her earlier that it’s been a while since I’ve… y’know… And I think she’s trying to encourage me.” The coordinator rolled her eyes and scoffed.

Leaf giggled and looked down. “Well, I’m… drunk enough to say you’re cute… and, a good kisser… so do with that what you will?”

It was only a few minutes later that the pair stumbled through Sierra’s door, and the echidna’s surprise quickly shifted into a pleased grin. Quietly, she slid off to the side before the two collapsed onto the mattress, a sweet, giggling, blonde mess. Thomson’s kisses were surprisingly affectionate, Leaf thought to herself, realizing and understanding that it wasn’t just the idea of sex that she missed. Leaf was the same before she had met Sierra: affection- and touch-starved, the merest tease lighting her up like a Christmas tree. Their lips trailed to one another’s necks, hands quietly and playfully groping through little gasps. Nearby, Sierra’s tail thrashed gently across the floor; she adored Leaf’s whimpers, and it seemed Thomson’s were equally satisfying to hear. It was like a symphony for her… that is, if the goal of such a symphony was to make the listener swell with lust.

The two began to shed their clothes, and Sierra found herself unable to resist sliding a few fingers between her own hips as she admired their bodies pressed against one another.  
She had encouraged them for more than one reason, but right now, none of that mattered.

* * *

“Jump! Jump!!”

Dessa mashed the button, but the little mushroom monster made contact and the character onscreen died.  
“Ughhh, this is so _hard!”_ she whined, leaning back into the body behind her. Gio’s head rested upon her own as he laughed quietly.

“You’re not used to alcohol, are you? It messes up your reaction time, y’know… just try again tomorrow when you’re not drunk.”  
In his lap the bat girl groaned, setting the Game Boy that Leaf had gotten her for Christmas to the side of the bed before nestling back into him. Gio had been relatively quiet; as Dessa realized this she began to wonder if she was keeping him awake later than he wanted.  
She looked up at him, a single red eye catching his own as she inquired.

“Gio, do you need to sleep?”  
The harpy chuckled quietly as he responded. “I mean, eventually yes.”  
As Dessa pouted, Gio allowed himself to fall backwards, somewhat comically, into a mess of pillows where he nestled himself.  
“It’s okayyy, I’m not gonna kick you out. ‘Sides, the sooner _you_ sleep the sooner you’ll feel less drunk.”

Dessa pondered this for a moment, before turning herself around and lying on top of him lazily. Given that he was roughly two and a half feet taller than her, it made for an amusing sight.  
As thin, warm wings wrapped around his waist, Gio felt the girl’s thighs on either side of his own. He shifted to try and get comfortable, and she let out a tiny, nearly inaudible gasp.

“Gio…”  
He sleepily looked down at her. “Mhm?”

Dessa’s response sounded shy, but with an undertone of excitement.  
“It… felt good when you did that just now… can you do it again?”

“Hm? Di’ what?...” Gio wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, but as he shifted his body once more it clicked. Her hips pressed into his thigh, and he inhaled slowly.

Almost subconsciously, Dessa began to grind her hips against him, chasing the fleeting feeling. He tried briefly to ignore, but before long he found himself incensed.

“Come here,” he whispered with a smile. “I’ll make it even better.”

* * *

Chelle and Jessie were both relative lightweights when compared to most of the others, and not long after it turned midnight they retreated to the former’s room to spend some time alone together. Chelle trusted the girl, but there was still something a little strange to her about showing affection in front of others so she kept it limited, often turning red when Jessie was the one to initiate it. Within her room, there were no prying eyes, no giggles that she could misconstrue as making fun of her. It was the safest place of all.

“Come on, it’s okay. Promisssse.”  
Jessie motioned to Chelle to join her. Slowly, nervously, the serket climbed onto the mattress, her thin legs straddling the human’s own before lowering herself down. Even though Jessie was kind and patient, Chelle still felt uncertain about the lower half of her body at times. Why would Jessie want her, with her cold, tough exoskeleton? As Chelle lay on top of her, though, a reassuring (and drunk) smile flashed on Jessie’s face.

“You’re so prettyyyy baby,” she giggled, wrapping her arms around the other and causing her to blush.

As the pair made out, Jessie’s drunken affections allowed Chelle’s anxiety to gradually sink away. Unfortunately, each time the human’s soft skin touched her chitin, the anxiety resurfaced. She groaned, and Jessie parted their lips from one another.

“Is something wrong?...”

Chelle shook her head, but voiced her insecurity anyway, looking away. “Do you… like my body? I don’t know why you’d want me over a human…”

Jessie smiled and lightly kissed the girl several times. “You’re beautiful. All of you. And I _do_ like your body, a bunch.” Her hands slid down Chelle’s side, until they rested upon her claws, caressing them gently. “How can I help you feel pretty?”

The serket blushed, unable to look her in the face, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“...Can you just… keep touching me? ...I like the way you do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our next two chapters will be explicit; friendly reminder that if that's not something you're interested in, you can skip them and pick up with chapter 41, "Faith Healer".


	39. Party of Three [E]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **CW: Explicit sexual content**  
>   
>  Any chapter with an [E] following the title is explicit content that is entirely skippable if desired— the surrounding chapters will allude to anything that takes place within it.

The five minutes prior that led to Sierra’s room were already a blur— all that mattered was the here and now. That said, the here and now was something none of the three in the room could have fathomed a week ago: Leaf, flat on the mattress, Thomson straddling and kissing her with a surprising level of passion, and Sierra giggling up against the wall as her hand slowly sank between her own hips in lust.

Even in her drunken haze, Leaf instinctively squirmed with alarm as Thomson’s thigh brushed against the thing that stirred between her legs. Having noticed the reaction, Thomson shushed her, whispering in assurance.  
_“I don’t care, it’s okay…”_

Slowly, Leaf sank back into the feeling of soft skin against her own, their bare chests brushing against one another, thick denim separating their hips.  
The two found themselves grinding in place for a moment, Leaf allowing the girl on top of her to tease her, to get the thing up and stiff so it would at least quit shifting uncomfortably. Somehow, as terrifying as it was for her body to be exposed, it was also absolutely _unbearable_ that she wasn’t naked yet.

Thomson felt fingers flick hopelessly at the button of her jeans for a few seconds, followed by a small _pop._ Before she could register anything further, she felt three fingers run beneath the denim and up against her soft, teal underwear, causing her to inhale through their kiss. That snap, the parting of fabric, turned Thomson’s passion more feverish, kissing Leaf more rapidly as her fingers quickly did the same for her partner.

Sierra was a bit proud of herself for orchestrating the whole thing; it was a gamble, but it played out wonderfully. She ran the flats of her fingers gently between her hips, something that was sometimes an annoying feat: the webbing between echidnas’ fingers protruded farther than that of lamias and humans, giving each digit a more limited range of motion… not to mention the _claws._ Rubbing was a bit of a nuisance, but fingering was borderline impossible.

Leaf let out a sharp gasp and struggled to contain a violent shudder as thin, soft fingers brushed against the delicate, stiff thing between her legs. With a giggle, Thomson grabbed both the denim and cotton around Leaf’s hips and tugged, pulling them all the way off before climbing back on top, allowing the same to be done to her. As their bare bodies pressed together, nothing separating them any longer, Thomson whispered to her.  
“You okay?”

Leaf inhaled deeply, still parsing the whole situation as her head swirled, and turned to face Sierra. The echidna was lying on the floor nearby, watching them as she pleasured herself— and as soon as Leaf’s gentle blue eyes met her own, she blushed deeply. With quiet labored breath, Sierra nodded to her, and Leaf turned back.

Thomson expected a vocal response, but instead felt Leaf’s fingertips brushing up between her legs, drawing wetness through small, teasing rubs. She gasped and lowered her mouth onto Leaf’s, kissing fervently as the fingers picked up speed. After a few minutes of giggling and moaning into each other’s mouths, groping at each other’s hips, Leaf rolled the two of them over and sat up slightly, sliding a finger gently inside, then out, progressing shortly after to two.

The sight, as well as Thomson’s attempt to stifle her own moans, only made Sierra more wet. And then… she witnessed Leaf kissing down the girl’s body in quick succession, moments later offering a long, slow lick along her slit. Thomson inhaled sharply at the unexpected progression— it was something she was fond of, but her last partner was never particularly interested in doing.

Leaf followed the shivers and sounds emitted by Thomson as her tongue danced along the valley and between folds, occasionally teasing the little nub at the highest point. Before long she felt hands nestle themselves in her hair, and she counted herself lucky to have yet _another_ piece of body language she could listen to. 

It ached Leaf not to have anything to grind her hips up against, but she was committed. Her hands roamed, caressing Thomson’s hips and ass and thighs as her tongue flitted playfully. The sensation rose like a slow boil until Thomson found it hard to keep her legs still. With a gasp, she asked for fingers, and was ecstatic to feel Leaf quickly oblige. The combination was overwhelming; she whimpered and moaned as Leaf’s tongue paid more and more attention to her clit, and then suddenly there was a gasp, a staggered breath, and her muscles contracting around Leaf… and then she felt herself riding that slow, descending wave of pleasure.

She wasn’t the only one who had grown louder: watching Leaf working hungrily from a secondary perspective had Sierra simply aching, and she had resorted to a toy she had purchased online at Leaf’s recommendation: a small, pink, vibrating massage wand. It was wondrous how much more intense than her hands the toy was, how much more it could accomplish, and having such a lovely visual aid alongside it felt like perfection. Her grunts and gasps rose as she watched Thomson climax, and about ten seconds later she did the same.

_“Can I taste you?...”_

With a silent nod from Leaf, the pair of blondes flipped places and Leaf found herself laying flat on the mattress. She was nervous— more nervous than with Sierra, as this would be the first _human_ she’d fooled around with, regardless of gender or sexuality, and she had no idea how her body would be received. She silently thanked God for the alcohol that was reducing her inhibitions.

Thomson on the other hand had a fair idea of how Leaf felt about herself at times and acted accordingly, gracing the petite, erect thing between her legs with kisses and the brush of her lips. It was already enough to make Leaf squirm; with a giggle, Thomson looked up at her and, as they made eye contact, allowed her tongue to swirl playfully around the tip. She was just as happy to give affection as she was to receive it, and she found Leaf’s pitiful whimpers _adorable._

As her precious kitten lay mewling on the bed, Sierra found herself craving once again. Her tail snaked gently back and forth along the floor as she teased herself, intending to draw this second orgasm out as long as possible. At least, that _was_ the plan.

Thomson giggled as she ran her tongue along the girl beneath her, flitting and teasing the object of her desire. Eventually, as Leaf’s moans heightened, she slid her lips gently over the head and began to gently suck. It was unfathomable; Leaf gasped and grabbed at the sheets for a moment, trying to ground herself, before finding something else.  
Something textured that tapered to a point, something cool and alive.  
And then Sierra let out a startled gasp.

Leaf had found Sierra’s tail in her ineffectual grasping, and upon hearing the sound of her partner’s delight she began to caress and massage it gently. It was difficult to keep a consistent rhythm, as she was distracted by Thomson’s mouth tending gently to her, but after thirty seconds or so of the teasing Sierra had enough.

_“Leaf… fuck…”_

Thomson giggled with a full mouth as she heard the echidna moan from several feet away, lifting her head only after hearing her own name called.  
“Thomson…” Sierra was trying to hold herself back, but it was becoming impossible. “Let me, please…”

As Sierra slid close to take over, Thomson climbed up the blonde’s body and began kissing her affectionately once more, her fingers circling and pinching Leaf’s nipples. The cool air that briefly tingled Leaf’s wet hips was quickly overwhelmed by the same warm, engulfing feeling she had been victim to seconds earlier. This time, however, was different.  
A forked tongue ran up her petite length, gracing either side and underneath in a gentle massage, and she gasped. Immediately her free hand shot up between Thomson’s legs once more, rubbing and fingering her, as she caressed Sierra’s tail with faster and faster strokes.

Leaf could hear the muffled gasping and moaning coming from further down her body.  
_Almost… fuck…  
_She wasn’t able to keep a steady rhythm with her hands for long, as she heard a sudden, quiet buzzing sound, followed by intense pressure and vibration pressing up directly against her taint. Almost immediately, her body melted.

_“What a good girl you are… would you like to come, baby?”_

As the question left Sierra’s lips, Leaf desperately rolled her hips upward and back into her partner’s mouth, teasing her tail more aggressively.   
Finally, between the hot, wet mouth that encompassed her hips, the tongue that lovingly massaged her, the girl teasing and sucking on her chest, and the pulsating vibrations below her length… Leaf felt the fireworks shoot throughout her body. Her moans, intensely loud, became muffled as Thomson pressed their mouths together.

Sierra could finally stop holding back— which she was thankful for, as the sounds of her partner had become too much for her to handle— and she let out a full-mouthed whimper as her tail constricted as tightly as possible, whipping away from Leaf’s grasp. At nearly the same moment, she felt the warm, thin nectar spill into her mouth weakly from Leaf’s hips, which she gratefully encouraged and collected with her dexterous tongue.

As Leaf’s muscles contracted and she lay there, whimpering and gasping through the comedown, Sierra kissed her thighs and hips lovingly.

 _“Such a good little kitten,”_ she teased, shortly thereafter sliding up Leaf’s body to lay next to her and glide her tongue along her partner’s ear. On the other side and pressed close was Thomson, glad to have been part of such an intense experience for the first time in a long time.

Sierra didn’t believe in sharing in the least, frankly, but she had her reasons, just this once… and besides, the thought of the two blondes going to town on each other would be enough to sustain her personal fantasies for a _long_ time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a brief serious note, erotica with trans characters is actually super important to me. I think there’s a lot that cis people either assume or just don’t _know_ about trans people and sex so I love the idea of representing new experiences.


	40. Taking Flight [E]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **CW: Explicit sexual content**

_“Come here… I’ll make it even better.”_

In a display befitting her “animal” half, Dessa slowly climbed up Gio’s body, her claws ‘walking’ along his height as she went. As she grew close, her messy hair tickled his face, causing him to flinch and shake his head for a moment before resuming. She almost looked frustrated for a moment, he noticed, as it had been much easier for her smaller frame to straddle his leg than his waist. With a knowing smile, he wrapped his wings around her hips and pressed his own body into hers slightly. It wasn’t perfect, he thought, but it would do.

Meanwhile, the situation itself was fresh to Dessa. Despite coming from a community that was pretty liberal about matters of the flesh, these kinds of experiences were new to her. She had no idea what to expect; she’d never had someone rubbing between her hips, let alone anything that happened next.

She wiggled a little bit at the sensation, lowering her wings around him and resting her face on his shoulder. This was new, she thought to herself. This was… such a _nice_ feeling.

As she looked up at Gio he leaned forward and kissed her, something that she had maybe only done once or twice back home, but it was… _different._ As her thoughts connected all the pieces— that kissing felt far more _electric_ when combined with the web of sensations below her waist— she found herself scrambling up the last few inches until directly above the harpy’s mouth, playfully gathering more and more kisses from him like nectar from a flower.  
He found himself chuckling at the sudden burst of affection as he spoke quietly to her.   
“Do you want me to take the lead?”

As soon as Dessa nodded she felt his wings playfully grabbing at her ass— as best as could be done with Gio’s limited dexterity, of course. She giggled into his mouth and soon after felt an errant claw slide up her body to lift her shirt. She raised her wings in obedience and felt herself blushing as her pale, flat chest became illuminated in the moonlight.  
The other girls had bodies that would easily be considered more mature, more ‘sexy’. She knew this in the back of her mind, and she knew that they probably considered her a kid. It was a quiet insecurity of hers.

“You alright?”  
Gio couldn’t exactly see Dessa’s eyes, but he noticed her head droop slightly after her shirt came off. _Ah…  
_ She let out a small yelp as feathered wings pulled her back down onto the body beneath her. It became immediately clear to her that Gio, at the least, did not mind or care. She pouted in frustration for half a second as his lips parted from hers, denying her the little static-electricity feeling her body got from each kiss. But as his lips traveled down her neck to her chest she let out a little squeal. _Muchmuchbetter,_ she thought to herself as her hips wiggled harder against him.

As his lips lightly graced Dessa’s chest, Gio slid a wing down between the two of them and began rubbing the crotch of her shorts. She elicited a chirp of shock at the sudden, direct pressure and pressed up against it excitedly.   
“Do you like that?” Gio whispered to her with a chuckle. She responded without hesitation, a quieter, more intimate version of the excited voice he was used to hearing from her normally.   
_“Yesyesyess… I want morrre…”_

A few minutes of teasing and giggling later and Dessa found herself down to her underwear. And oh, the difference… the firm and playful limb pressed beneath her now only had a thin layer of fabric separating it from her wet hips, and the sensation was so much _stronger,_ it was almost alarming… She resumed her fevered kissing, all over his face and neck, and as he moved a bit quicker or applied more pressure she felt almost _crazy.  
_ _Iwantitineedit…_

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, the full understanding and wave of realization, she felt almost guilty. She wanted more, her body was craving and she didn’t know what to do about it… because Gio wasn’t like the boys back home. Gio and his body were different.  
 _But Gio’s amazing,_ she assured herself, and so she whimpered it into his ear nonetheless.

_“Gio, I want… more… “_

She didn’t know how he would react, but was pleased to find Gio had an almost-cocky smile at her assertion. He nudged her gently, motioning to allow him up; as she rolled off, her body whined at her for abandoning newfound pleasure even for the briefest moment.

“I laughed when Sierra tried to buy me this…” Gio chuckled as he slid open a drawer in the nearby dresser, “...but maybe she’s smarter than I thought.”

Dessa’s hips tingled as he turned and held up the object: a violet, translucent phallic object attached to a harness of matching color.  
“Is it something you’d like to try out with me?”

Her head bowed sheepishly as her wings half-hid her face. She had no clue why she was so embarrassed… but she nodded.

After donning the strap Gio paused for a moment and then, facing away from Dessa, steadily removed the binding tape that had been flattening his chest. The girl hadn’t a care in the world, so it’s not like it would matter to her, and it would allow him more sensation to boot. Win/win, he thought. As he lay back down, he assured Dessa in his usual caring manner that she needn’t be nervous, that he would move at whatever pace she wanted. She was grateful: as much as her body wanted it, the thing now between Gio’s legs was surprisingly intimidating.

Gio was more than willing to continue just “playing for a bit,” as Dessa phrased it, until she was comfortable again. She shuddered with each little kiss, much happier now that there was something she could wiggle her small body up against and get a more… _direct_ sensation.

After another five minutes or so, she found herself in the same position as before: the thing attached to Gio’s hips had only made her more wet, and it grew more unbearable as she began to feel it parting her with each little roll of the hips. Dessa sank her claws into his shoulders, and as he looked down to her for direction she nodded.

_“I’m...ready… Iwannit…”_

It was kind of precious, Gio thought, though he had no problem obliging her request. His claws hooked in the sides of Dessa’s black, cotton undies and slid them down slowly; as they reached the fur that lined her calves she wiggled to pull them down and kick them off before clambering back up to his warm chest. 

And then she felt it, and she let out a surprised trill.

The rubbery, flexible toy mounted on Gio’s hips pressed directly up against her slit, and her wings wrapped around his upper body. Slowly, to the point where Dessa wondered if it would even fit, she began to wiggle her hips against it… and after a moment, her lips below parted and her petite body took in the head of the toy.

As Gio began to finally slip inside of her, just a bit, she gasped and heatedly nuzzled against his chest. Whispering to ask one more confirmation from her, he wrapped his claws around her behind and pulled her down onto him, slowly bringing his hips up to meet her own.

An intense shudder ran through Dessa’s body as he filled her, moving steadily to ensure her comfort due to her small frame, and she almost found herself whimpering in disappointment as he began to slide back out. Gradually the slow, repetitive motions left her more and more starry-eyed; the height difference between them made it near impossible for them to kiss during, which disappointed Dessa, but she did what she could nonetheless, kissing and flitting her tongue against Gio’s now-exposed chest. The harpy shuddered unexpectedly— his chest was typically bound or taped, so as a result, feeling Dessa’s small tongue tending affectionately to his nipples had him gripping her tighter. He’d almost forgotten how sensitive that area was when it came to pleasure.

After a few minutes Dessa grew a little more comfortable, her body more accommodating of the length inside her, and she began to pick up speed. Gio’s claws sank lustfully into her hips, and after her new rhythm fell into place he began bouncing his hips up to meet her on her descent. She wrapped her wings even tighter around him, chirping in pleasure, as he grunted below her with each thrust.

_“hahh.... hahh.....”_

“Gio....” Dessa’s voice came as a squeak, her claws sinking into his back, “I can’t....I cannIcann’tt....”

He switched to slower, grinding rolls of the hips, and the shock of the changeup had Dessa’s legs quivering against him. Her breathing had been reduced to small, short huffs. Now that Gio was moving slower he became more acutely aware of Dessa’s wetness as she rode him, which now soaked her inner thighs and made his own hips slick and cool, tingling from the surrounding air.

Dessa whimpered as her muscles began to contract around the strap, and Gio couldn’t help but chuckle— through her messy white hair, he saw the shiny red eyes widen in surprise. Her thighs twitched, clinging to his hips.

She scratched at him, heaving breaths against his chest before whispering a single word. _“More...moremoremore..”_ She gave into the jittery feelings in her body, wiggling her hips wildly, trying to draw out even stronger pleasure.  
 _“Of course, little darling,”_ Gio smirked, gripping her hips and picking up speed, putting Dessa’s dainty body to the test. Her whining grew louder and louder, until it came out as short, monosyllabic squeaks. Her thighs shuddered violently and when she couldn’t take it anymore, the muscles in her legs and hips clenched tightly; she sank her teeth hard into Gio’s side along his ribs as a feeling shot through her body that she hadn’t known possible.

Her shrill cry of ecstasy was muffled by Gio’s body. He let out a sharp grunt as he felt the tiny fangs pierce his side, but it was nothing he couldn’t handle; if the bloodsucker was going to come, he may as well give her an additional little treat.

All of Dessa’s muscles completely gave out after that; she lay splayed out upon his chest, her short and fast breaths very gradually slowing. Gio had initially considered giving her a little more attention with his tongue afterward, but the poor girl was exhausted and still a bit shaky.

 _Maybe another night,_ he thought with a smile, wrapping his wings around her and allowing her to end the night by snoozing atop him.


	41. Faith Healer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **CW: Mentions of past abuse & self-harm**

It was entirely foreign to Chelle, the idea that someone could make her feel so… _valuable._ In general matters she trusted Leaf or Sierra more than anyone, of course, but this was entirely different. Jessie’s hands were soft, smooth and warm, giving Chelle goosebumps as they ran gently up and down her arms.

Jessie had also been her first kiss. She was so embarrassed to admit this; after the human had asked permission the first time Chelle just shyly nodded, silently thanking the gods that Jessie was more outgoing and forward than her. After the kiss she confessed her inexperience to Jessie, who laughed and called her cute, saying she would be happy to help her practice.

The practice had paid off: Chelle felt much more comfortable with the idea, though she still preferred her more-or-less-girlfriend take the lead. It helped her learn better, mainly, but she was mostly just scared of “slipping up”. It came with a second additional perk, though: when Jessie led, Chelle was able to gradually learn what felt good and where her own discomforts lay. For example, she loved how Jessie kissed her neck, but things like love bites were still uncertain ground. And so Jessie kept her affections tender and gentle, as she knew the girl deserved.  
Occasionally she would encourage Chelle to do more— never anything pushy or inappropriate, but parting from a kiss to ask if she would play with her hair, or place a hand on her soft stomach. 

In a brief few seconds of mutual admiration, Jessie noticed the girl above her looking visibly embarrassed. As good a time as any to check in on her comfort, she supposed.  
“What’s wrong?”  
Chelle had… never asked for this kind of thing before, never had it from someone she trusted. Never even desired it. As she struggled to get the words out, Jessie reached up and rested a hand on her cheek assuringly. Somehow, that was the perfect encouragement for the serket.  
“Can you… touch my chest?”

Without a word, Jessie leaned in and connected their lips once more. Her hand slid down past Chelle’s collarbone, until it lay right above her breast, then carefully down over it, caressing lovingly. Chelle took in a slow, satisfied breath as the human smiled and giggled.

“Like this?” she whispered.

Chelle nodded through their next kiss. Jessie’s touch was so soft, caring, graceful. The difference in contact between the girl beneath her and the monster in her past was remarkable.

Jessie’s fingers continued massaging and tracing around the girl’s petite chest, before playing gently with her nipple. Her other hand ran softly up Chelle’s side, sliding beneath her shirt gently as it went. She wasn’t pushing; it had just become apparent that delicate flesh-on-flesh contact made Chelle feel valued, and so she gave as much as she could.

The soft playing and pinching caused little moans to pass between their lips as Chelle pushed herself to be more confident. Her hands were nowhere near as soft and dainty as Jessie’s— quite the opposite, they were tough but smooth, with relatively sharp fingers. Regardless, she started to timidly explore Jessie’s body as well.

She seemed to love it all the same: Jessie began to kiss more excitedly with a pleased giggle as Chelle’s hand rose up and over the girl’s shirt to her chest. Pointed fingertips roamed atop the fabric, and Jessie couldn’t help but notice that they seemed afraid to tease due to their tough nature.  
_Does she think she’ll hurt me?_

“Here, try this,” she quietly offered. She placed a hand on Chelle’s, positioning two of the serket’s fingers on either side of the little bud poking up beneath her own shirt, then squeezed and rolled them gently together. After the demonstration, Jessie slid her hand back down to Chelle’s hip and comforted her, as if reading her thoughts.

“Just ‘cause your body’s different doesn’t mean it’s bad, silly. We can both do things the other can’t.” She kissed Chelle once more, letting out a small moan as the serket began to move her fingers on her own.

“Good job, babyy, just like that…”

Jessie liked using pet names, and it clearly made Chelle feel more cared for, but being fairly drunk had her dialing it up to eleven. Still, the serket didn’t mind. She liked being called something sweet and affectionate, no matter the frequency. She felt perfectly at home in that moment until she felt Jessie’s hand glide softly up and down her back, passing over the thin, raised scar tissue beneath. She tensed up, her fingers ceasing their motion on Jessie’s body.

Sliding her hand back out from beneath Chelle’s shirt, Jessie apologized and peppered her face with kisses.  
“I’m sorry, I’ll slow down…”

Chelle shook her head. “No, it’s not that…” She seemed embarrassed, as though there were something to be ashamed of. “I just… have a lot of scars.”   
Jessie’s response was, to say the least, unexpected: she kissed the serket with a reassuring smile.  
“Me too. It’s okay, really.”

“You do?...”  
“Mhm… hold on.”

Jessie squirmed out from beneath and somewhat clumsily began to slide her shorts down her legs, causing Chelle to look away in a blushing panic.  
“It’s okay. See?”

After a moment she slowly looked back up to the girl’s thighs, which were now parted. The full view of her spread legs made Chelle turn an even brighter red; between them were a pair of purple cotton panties that hugged her soft, full hips. They weren’t particularly revealing, but it was far different than seeing her in a swimsuit. More personal, more intimate.

Just below, along the inside of her thighs, were very faint, small raised lines. For anyone but a nocturnal like Chelle, they would have been nearly invisible in the dark room.

The serket took in a quiet breath, hesitant to reach out or even speak.  
“... Are you okay?”  
Jessie nodded, taking her hand.

“They’re old. ...I wasn’t good to myself for a little while but I’m better now.” She smiled and set Chelle’s hand on the markings. “And you’re getting better too, baby.”

Sierra had said the same: it would take time for everything to heal. Maybe both of them were right. After all, Jessie’s markings didn’t really seem to bother _her_ anymore. Even if that was the case, Chelle still wanted to be there for her and support any insecurities _she_ might have in return. She moved in closer, lightly caressing the marks, and Jessie smiled through their kiss.  
“We don’t have to talk about it until you’re ready,” the human whispered. 

Chelle shook her head almost immediately.  
“No, I _want_ you to touch me,” she confessed, blushing, before instantly backstepping.  
“I mean...! Not like that!… _I mean…!“_

Jessie giggled and pulled the girl onto her like before. “C’mere baby…”  
As Chelle realized there was one less layer between their hips she blushed, burrowing her face into the human’s shoulder. As she hid her face she felt a playful hand squeeze her ass, and shortly after Jessie began to suck gently on her neck. Chelle gasped.

“Ah! Mm…” Her fingers reached back up to Jessie’s chest. Beneath her, Jessie whispered.  
“Is that okay?”  
Chelle quickly nodded with a whimper. The surprise butt-grab caused their hips to grow flush with one another, and she suddenly didn’t know what to do. Her body was… electrified. Warm. She’d never really felt this before.

“Jessie…”  
With care and obedience, the hands of the girl beneath halted. “Yeah?”

Chelle swallowed hard. She was terrified. Excited, scared, nervous. She looked away, hiding her face once more.  
“C-can you… uhm…” Her breathing was a little unsteady. “... you know…” She nervously glanced down between them with a nod, her face a hot pink in the low lighting.

With just a smile and no words, Jessie kissed her, tongue sliding past her lips playfully as her hand moved slowly and carefully. With every inch the fingers traveled Chelle’s breathing increased, until fairly labored breaths escaped into the other’s mouth as her skirt was lifted. And then, they peaked with a gasp as delicate, soft fingers slid between Chelle’s hips, softly stroking forbidden ground. She wrapped her arms around Jessie, mewling quietly into her ear. The most gentle touch of a gentle girl, something she didn’t know was possible.

Although she hadn’t said it before, this was new to Jessie as well: she had dated a little in the past, but it was a boy, with different parts. With Chelle, she was more or less testing the waters by doing things she herself enjoyed. On one hand, it seemed to be working. On the other, Chelle’s quiet gasps and moans were affecting her as well. Her legs shifted beneath, and after a minute she whispered to ask for the same. As long as she could learn to use her fingers delicately, Chelle was happy to oblige.

* * *

The night had thrown off Chelle’s sleep schedule a bit, which had become an unfortunately common occurrence in the house. She had been planning to stay up through the night as was her usual, but once Jessie fell asleep against her, holding tight, she resigned herself to the same with a smile.

In the morning, she stirred awake from the sensation of fingertips gliding playfully along her skin. As she opened her eyes, Chelle was greeted with a kiss from Jessie.

“ _morning...mmIfeellike shit…”  
_The human smiled. “That’s because you had way too much caffeine last night, silly. Maybe this will help you feel better.”

Jessie leaned away, picking up a small gift bag from beside the bed and setting it on Chelle’s bare lower back.

_“mm-aAH! Cold!...”_

The serket’s eyes squeezed shut as Jessie giggled.  
“Go on, open it!”

Still processing everything from the last 30 seconds or so, Chelle reached into the bag, feeling past the tissue paper until her clawed fingertips felt something soft. When she pulled it out, a curious look crossed her face.

It seemed to be a black velvet pouch with drawstrings, about twice the size of a human fist. The bottom was a tough, leather-like material and the inside thickly padded. Hanging from the bottom of the pouch’s exterior was a sheer black fabric, almost like a veil. Knowing Chelle was likely confused by the somewhat intricate design, Jessie explained.

“It’s… a tail cover.” She smiled nervously. “I know you’re self conscious around other humans, and… even though I don’t think you have any reason to be, this way when you go out you cannnn… keep your stinger covered if you want. Or even just for safety sometimes.”

Chelle didn’t know what to say. It seemed she didn’t have to say anything yet, however, because Jessie tugged at her hand. “Come on, let me show you!”

The two girls left the bed and stood in front of the mirror, which caused Chelle to blush for what felt like the twentieth time in the last twelve hours: they were both lacking in clothes, and it was the first time she’d seen Jessie naked from more than a few inches away. The thoughts of their bodies exploring and learning each other the night before came flooding back. For the first time since they had met, Jessie ran her hand slowly along Chelle’s tail, an area the latter tried to keep far away from her. She tensed up, afraid to budge as Jessie neared the stinger and slid the cover over it, gently pulling the strings tight it around the first joint. She looked to Chelle and the mirror before them.

“So? Whatcha think?”

Chelle smiled as she looked at the reflection. The part of her that she feared humans would see as “scary” was now coated in black velvet and the veil gave it a delicate, almost formal appearance. She felt like she might cry, and so she responded before the tears came so that Jessie wouldn’t think her upset.

“I love it. I love it _so much.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much like with regard to Leaf's deadname, I do want to make it clear that I'm not going to be exploring Chelle's past trauma in any deeper capacity than this chapter and anything prior. I don't think getting too explicit with it is beneficial in any way to the story, and more importantly I don't find myself qualified to write about such a thing.


	42. Disaster Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A letter arrives at the cabin that changes everything.

“You don’t think she’s gonna feel weird about it, do you?”

Leaf glanced to the passenger seat beside her where Sierra grinned, her tail running between them and spreading into the space behind the seats.

“Do _you_ feel weird about it?”  
The question in return seemed to make Leaf uneasy. “No! No. I mean, it was nice, I guess. I just… don’t want us to have ruined anything, y’know?”  
“I gotcha.” Sierra put her arms behind her head. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

After a minute or so of silence, Leaf couldn’t help but ask the question that had been on her mind ever since the hookup with the coordinator happened.  
“So… why did you egg us on, anyway?”

Sierra chuckled. “I was wondering when you’d actually ask that… there’s a few reasons, I guess. One, Thomson was having a dry spell and got dicked over by her last boyfriend, and I thought it’d be good for her.”  
As Leaf nodded, her girlfriend continued. “Two, you’re a total babe and I had the opportunity to watch you fool around with _another_ hot babe. It’s like in-person porn. Jackpot.”

Leaf laughed, rolling her eyes as she playfully hit Sierra. “So typical. ...The way you left off makes it sound like there’s a _three,”_ she noted with a smirk. “Spill.”

Sierra’s smile fell, and she gave a frustrated hum as she looked out the window. Leaf tried to assure her as kept her eyes on the highway.  
“You can tell me, you know that. It’s okay.”

She didn't want to admit this part. She hated appearing weak. But, Leaf deserved to know regardless, and so with a quiet sigh, Sierra confessed.  
“I wanted to make sure you… wouldn’t rather have a normal human as a partner.” She continued to avoid eye contact after the words left her mouth; after a few seconds, she felt Leaf’s warm hand squeeze her forearm.

“Sierra… being with a human is a little different, for sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s _better_ or more _ideal._ I’d rather have you. I never even questioned it, and you shouldn’t either. Okay?”

Sierra gave a bashful smile before nodding.  
_Gods, I don’t deserve her_.

* * *

The pair looked in the full-length mirror at the indigo lines on Sierra’s face. Leaf held onto her arm gently; her purpose today was to affirm and encourage, nothing further.  
“Does that look right?”

After turning her face to look ir over from several different angles, Sierra smiled. “Totally.”   
As the two went back to the small booth, the echidna took extra care laying on the padded table due to her size.  
“It’s perfect. Let’s do it.”

The artist seated beside them was coated head-to-toe in ink, a gruff-looking man who, despite all appearances, was rather jovial. The tattoo directly over his Adam’s apple caught Sierra’s eye first: a large, black rose.  
As he clicked on the machine, a loud buzzing began. “Alright, you ready?”

  
Sierra didn’t exactly know what to expect, but when she looked in the mirror after a couple of hours she was stunned. The areas were swollen and red, of course, but Leaf advised her that within two weeks everything would look fresh and normal again. Up by her temples, two sharp, deep-brown shapes resembling lightning bolts jutted out from her hairline, ending shortly above her brows. These were matched by another pair that extended from the rear of her jawline, seemingly protruding out from the rough scales that covered her neck: two sharp, dagger-like triangles that ended just above either side of her mouth. She looked absolutely feral in her new markings.

“What do you think?” Leaf asked hesitantly, squeezing her hand. She didn’t care if anyone in the tattoo parlor saw the affection; these shops tended to be a little more open-minded in Terminus than the surrounding areas, and if worse came to worst they could pass as best friends.

Sierra was unable to hide the grin that spread across her face. In fact, Leaf couldn’t remember the last time that she smiled so wide.  
“I fucking love it.”

Her artist gave her directions for aftercare (he was grateful that it was on humanoid skin at least; he confessed to being absolutely _clueless_ when it came to other liminal physiology), and on the way home Leaf offered a few pointers.  
“It’s gonna be itchy, and it’ll peel eventually too, kind of like when you shed,” she noted. “But you _can’t pick them off,_ you have to let it happen naturally, okay? And don’t scratch them, especially with your claws. That’s a recipe for disaster.”

* * *

As the pair entered the cabin, the others in the immediate area gasped. Leaf hadn’t told them of Sierra’s day-plans; the pair wanted it to be a surprise.

“Miss Sierra, you look like a _warrior!”_

Corin ran up, clasping her hands together, her face ducking to either side at various angles to observe the markings. “Did it hurt?”

“Sure as hell wasn’t painless, but I’ve felt worse,” the echidna grinned. Gio held up his wing, which Sierra offered a fist-bump to, before he complimented her.  
“Gotta be honest, now you’re making _me_ consider it. Looks rad, though, congrats!”

“Oh! Oh! Leaf’s home!”  
Bouncing down from the loft was Dessa, a few envelopes in her claws. “I got the mail! It’s mostly boring stuff, and then something for a name I didn’t know? I dunno, there wasn’t a return-a-dress on it.”

 _Well, she gets the spirit of it, at least,_ Leaf thought with a smile as she shuffled through the junk mail. Advertisements, coupons, political flyers, then one small, beige envelope with a name written in dark ink.  
  


##  **LAEMUS**

“Hm…” Leaf turned it over. There was a purple wax seal on the back, so whoever sent it either considered themselves _extremely_ formal, or hailed from a location that didn't have your standard fare envelopes.

“Strange, must've gone to the wrong house… ...‘ _Laymus’? ‘Lie-a-muss’?_ Huh…”

Immediately, from a couple meters away where Gio and Sierra were chatting, the conversation ceased. Sierra spun to face her partner; she looked as though she had just been slapped across the face.

_“... What did you just say?”_

Leaf held up the envelope between her fingers, flashing the name that had been scrawled in large letters on the front. “That’s the name on this envelope,” she replied. As soon as she caught Sierra's gaze, her face fell and she found herself gravely concerned. “Is… everything okay?”

Sierra took the envelope without another word and tore it open as she paced across the room, quietly skimming its contents. A moment later, she crumpled it up and threw it across the room with a furious yell. Bewildered, Leaf rushed over to assuage her, taking her hand.  
  
“What’s wrong? Is it someone you know?” She had countless questions, frankly, but the last thing she wanted to do was overstep.

Sierra closed her eyes and let out a growling sigh as she ran a hand through her hair.

  
“...My mother. She’s… coming to visit.”

* * *

Leaf sat on the couch and pored over the letter herself, having gathered it off the floor and smoothed it out as best she could. To her left, Sierra was trying to calm herself, her eyes shut tight as she took slow, rumbling breaths. On her other side was Corin, who was reading along, intrigued.

> _Dearest Laemus,_
> 
> _  
> Though I first found it abhorrent that you would leave the echidna nation without telling your family— to participate in an exchange program of all things— upon further reflection I can’t help but wonder if it was my failure as your mother that drove you to do so._
> 
> _The Interspecies Exchange Program has been quite helpful in my attempts to locate you, and thus I hope this letter finds you well. I simply wish to see my daughter again, and I hope you’re open to the idea as well._
> 
> _Your sisters and I will be coming to visit you in roughly three weeks’ time, arriving on January twenty-second. Accommodations for us have already been arranged, so you have no need to house us overnight during this time._
> 
> _I look forward to seeing you, dear._
> 
> _  
> Love, your Mother_

As she finished, Leaf passed the letter back to Sierra. “Well, it certainly _seems_ cordial enough… is she really that bad?”  
Sierra shook her head. 

“She’s lying through her fangs here. She’s just trying to sound good. I know her.”

Corin wasn’t so sure, but she understood that many in the house had a troubled relationship with their parents and so she didn’t want to press the matter too hard. Timidly, she offered some insight.  
“Maybe… you should give her a shot? She’s coming anyway, right Miss Sierra?”

The echidna grunted and said nothing further; Leaf rubbed her arm affectionately. “It’s gonna be okay. We’ll make do, and when she visits we’ll see if she’s changed or not. For now, just tell me what I need to know.”  
She didn’t inquire about the name on the envelope.  
She knew Sierra would mention it when she was ready.

* * *

“Alright, listen up everyone. We need to talk.”

The rest of the homestays were gathered on the living room sectional and looking up at Sierra who stood before them, her hands on her hips.

“You’re all here for one important reason.” She looked to each of them in turn, assessing them as though they were her platoon. “My bitch of a mother has decided to spring a visit on us.” Her forwardness startled Corin and Chelle, though the latter understood completely: if her father were to show up, she would probably flee the scene without a second thought.

“Here’s what you need to know. Leaf?”  
A cord ran from Leaf’s laptop to the TV behind Sierra; as Leaf's finger scrolled on the pad a photo came up on the television screen before them. The echidna pointed with a wooden spoon to the eldest serpentine onscreen.

“This is her. Lachesis.”

All four of the echidnas onscreen had matching hair and body coloration— in fact, all were dressed similarly too— but Lachesis had a number of golden charms adorning her ears, and matching bands on her arms. Not only did her apparent opulence set her apart, her presence did as well: she seemed to exude an aura that the others in the photograph didn’t even come _close_ to. In addition, it was obvious to everyone which of the four in the photo was Sierra as her eyes were distinctly different in color from the other three.

“That’s your mother? She looks so young…” Chelle said in awe. Gio was happy to explain the phenomenon for her.  
“With some liminals, like harpies and serpentines, the adults tend to either be smaller in size or look more youthful. Not always, but usually with reptile liminals it’s pretty common.”  
Chelle nodded as she pondered this. If Sierra hadn't said otherwise, she would’ve guessed the four onscreen were nearly the same age. 

“Looks can be deceiving,” Sierra replied, pointing the spoon directly at the serket. “My mother will stop at nothing to get what she wants, including twisting the narrative to suit her needs. Stay on your guard and don’t be surprised if she tries to gaslight any of you.”

Sitting next to Leaf, Corin extended a claw and pointed to the screen. “And those are your sisters?”

All four in the photo were wearing some variant of black fabric “straps” that covered a relatively small amount of skin; the two on either side of Lachesis had arranged to match, and had long, flowing hair. They looked like mirror images of one another.

Nodding, Sierra pointed back at one of the girls, “Resurus…” then the other, “...and Sistrurus. The twins. By echidna standards, they’re considered…” she spoke the next words with palpable disdain, _“incredibly_ beautiful. Flowing hair is practically unheard of within echidnas; as a result of this rarity, they’ve essentially never wanted for anything. Spoiled, greedy, and vain. My mother taught them everything she knows.

"In any case," she continued, "I left of my own accord without telling them, and haven’t seen the three of them since last summer. Leaf already knows this, but echidnas as a tribe declined to participate in the exchange program. As a result, they’re probably pissed that I applied and left without their knowledge.”

Dessa, who was laying upside-down on the couch during this entire ordeal, her feet draping over the back, looked up (or, down?) at the screen. It was an unusual sight for the others, as for once her full face was perfectly visible. Her bright red eyes looked at the screen curiously.

“Soooo, why’re they coming if they’re mad?”

“Excellent question, Desdemona,” Sierra replied with a wave of the spoon, as though she were teaching a class of children. This made the vampire bat giggle.  
“I have a few theories. The first,” she asserted, “is that they wish to take me out of the program and back home, thinking I’ve embarrassed or shamed them.”

Leaf felt a lump in her throat.  
_They can’t take her back… can they?..._

“The second would be that they’re hoping I found a suitable man to bring back to the tribe. Serpentines typically have a single “tribe husband” to help with copulation; if something happened with the previous one they may be looking for another and thought, since I'm already out here, that I'd be a means to an end.”

“Sounds like a lucky man,” Gio chuckled. Now that Leaf had begun sleeping with an echidna, she thought so as well, but she kept the sentiment to herself.

"In any case, I have no idea how this is going to go, so I need all of you to just be careful. Please, please be on your guard around her. My mother's cunning is almost eerie."   
Sierra had no desire to see the trio, never again, but now that it was all but inevitable she would just have to prepare as best she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (note: Lachesis’ name is pronounced _‘LASH-a-siss’_ )


	43. A Little Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomson drops in at the cabin, and Leaf is nervous to see her— after all, it _is_ the first time they've seen each other since they hooked up.

It had taken a day or two, but Sierra had finally been coaxed by the rest of the household into relaxing so that she could enjoy the three or so weeks leading up to her family’s arrival. There was no use stressing with so much time left, Leaf assured, and in addition she pushed her hardest to make the echidna feel at ease: each night, she got in the habit of giving Sierra a massage, insisting she didn’t need anything in return. And it was true, she simply wanted to make Sierra happy.  
It didn’t hurt that the sex was amazing as well.

Ever since Christmas, Leaf had been sleeping in Sierra’s room, though she still used her own for occasional privacy and the like. Because of this, she was surprised as she went to pick out some fresh clothes and found the room immaculately cleaned. The bed was tidily made and the dresser had been well dusted, with any photos and artifacts atop it now arranged neatly. It was almost as though she had just walked into a hotel room.

 _It’s a small gesture but… wow. Sierra’s really sweet underneath it all,_ Leaf thought. With a smile, she changed into a baggy white hoodie and some leggings.  
As she entered the kitchen, she wrapped her arms around Sierra and delivered a small kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you for cleaning. You didn’t have to do that.”

Sierra, who had been rummaging through the fridge, chuckled to herself and put a hand on Leaf’s arm. After a second, she paused.  
“Wait. Cleaning?”

As Leaf let go, she explained. “My room. Everything’s spotless. That was you, wasn’t it?”  
Sierra turned with a confused look, shaking her head. She’d done nothing of the sort. In fact, she hadn’t even set tail in Leaf’s room at all since… whenever the last time she stopped by to talk before Christmas was.  
“Uhh, no, actually. Maybe Corin did you a solid? She seems the most likely.”

“Huh.” Leaf stood there, puzzled. “I guess I’ll ask her. I don’t mind it, though, everything looks great.”  
As she walked off, Sierra made a mental note of how happy a little thing like that seemed to make Leaf. _Even if it_ **_was_ ** _Corin… I should do that more often._

Moments before knocking on Corin’s door, Leaf felt her phone vibrate, and the lit-up screen dictated it was Thomson.  
 _Shit. ...Corin can wait, I suppose…_  
With a deep breath, she hit the green icon.

“Hey, Thomson. What’s up?” she asked, in her most casual voice possible. She was still a little nervous about any aftershock from their New Year’s liaison and did her best to hide it.

“Leaf, ugh, I’m _so sorry_ I didn’t call about everything. Things were busy and I couldn’t get signal, and… I know it was super unprofessional of me. I’m on my way now. Everything okay over there?”

Leaf paused. _I know it was unprofessional?_ She guessed this meant that, after their little affair, Thomson was going to take things back a step from friendship to a more formal role. She couldn’t blame her; honestly, she wouldn’t even blame Thomson if she reassigned them a different exchange coordinator entirely.

“Uh yeah, everything’s fine.”  
“Okay, thank god. I’m about thirty minutes out, paperwork and all. See you soon.”

As Leaf hung up, she felt the pit in her stomach. _Paperwork? Oh…  
_ Maybe she really _was_ getting reassigned. As long as it wasn’t back to Mr. Carson, she could manage. She would be beyond upset to lose her, yes, but… she could manage, she supposed.

* * *

By the time Thomson arrived, Gio had finished his morning run and was lounging in the living room. It was he who ended up answering the door.

“Hey, Thomson, how’s it goin’?”

The coordinator took a long sip from a can of cola as she slid off her matte black shoes by the front door. The Ms. Thomson from New Year’s Eve was gone; she was back in her fitted black suit, dark sunglasses concealing her expression. When she removed the shades, swapping them for the red frames tucked into her coat’s pocket, Gio couldn’t help but notice she looked a bit… frazzled. Despite this, she tried to maintain an air of professionalism, and he did the same. 

“It’s going well, thank you. Everything okay?”  
The harpy nodded.  
“Yeah, everything’s good here.”  
“She hasn’t been too much?”

Presuming she was talking about Leaf, Gio shook his head. “No, she’s fine. I think. I dunno, she got a little weird about you coming over but I think she’s fine.”  
“I don’t blame her, I guess. This is all on me.”

Before they could speak further, Leaf rounded the corner and cut them off.  
“Hey, Thomson! How are you?” It felt forced, and Leaf knew it; it was much, much harder to play casual to her face.  
“I’m good, thank you. Shall we?”

As the two settled in at the kitchen table, Gio headed off to give them some space— Sierra’s idea, though she wouldn’t say why. Although Leaf tried to hide it, her heart was pounding. She fucked up.

“Alright, so I guess—”  
“Thomson. Wait.”

The coordinator looked at her curiously, but stayed silent, allowing the host to speak her piece. Leaf closed her eyes, her stomach churning, and took a deep breath before continuing.

“I know things got… a little crazy on New Year’s. And I just… I don’t want it to be weird. It was just a one-time thing, and it’s fine if you consider it a mistake, but I just want us to stay friends, y’know? ... I want us to be cool. ...Are we cool?...”

Thomson was a bit taken aback. As she adjusted her glasses, the expression on her face grew soft.

“Leaf… absolutely.” Her voice was more tender than before. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done something like that, sure, but I’m not gonna write us off over it. You’re like my best friend. Duh.”

Normally she would find the suit-wearing Thomson saying ‘duh’ amusing, but more than anything Leaf was just relieved. Unfathomably, wonderfully relieved, and it showed on her face as she smiled and exhaled.

“You didn’t have to come out all this way, you know…” 

The blonde smiled back, pulling a notebook out of her bag. “Well, it’s my job,” she chuckled. “What kind of coordinator would I be if I didn’t? Speaking of, she hasn’t given you any trouble, has she? I feel horrible that I couldn’t be here at the same time, I really am sorry.”

Leaf blinked, a bit confused.

“Wait… who?”

Thomson was in the middle of flipping open her notebook as she froze, caught off-guard by the response.

“...The new homestay. That’s why I’ve been so mixed up. … Has she not arrived?”

It hit Leaf all at once, and she felt so very, very stupid.  
 _I’m sorry I didn’t call about everything._ _  
__This was super unprofessional of me._ _  
__Everything okay over there?_

As the notebook fell open, she looked down at it. Paperclipped to the front page was a scanned ID photo of a young-looking girl with burgundy hair. Leaf shook her head.  
“I… haven’t seen anyone like that, no…”

Thomson gave a nervous sigh. “Hopefully it’s nothing… Sending her ahead of me was a huge mistake. The driver said she got here okay, though…”

Suddenly, a young, vibrant voice entirely unfamiliar to Leaf called out from the living area.

_“Haud on, Ah’m on my way!”_

Leaf turned to the source of the thickly-accented voice but saw absolutely nothing, leaving her more confused than ever. Before she could say anything, though, something small as a mouse came scurrying out from around the sectional.

No, that wasn’t entirely right.  
Some _one_ came scurrying out.

Certain she was dreaming, Leaf closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them again, the little person was a mere foot or so away from the table. For how small she seemed, her voice certainly carried well.

“Oi, Thomson, can ye gie’s a hand?”

Obliging immediately, Thomson reached down and quite literally allowed the girl to stand on her palm, before lifting her up to the table.

“Sorry ‘bout that!” She hopped off the coordinator’s hand and onto the kitchen table to face Leaf, where she rocked back and forth in a bashful manner. “Ah didnae want tae impose, so Ah thought Ah’d hole up outta sight ‘til Miss Thomson arrived tae meetchae.”

The tiny girl was definitely the one from the picture, although Leaf now realized the camera must have been on a ‘macro’ setting. She had lovely burgundy hair that fell most the length of her body, soothing orange eyes that reminded Leaf of autumn, and a white sundress that came down to around her knees. Her most defining feature, however, was that she was even shorter than the can of Diet Coke that Ms. Thomson was drinking from.

“...It’s fine,” Leaf began. “I…” She stared for a moment before shaking her head once more, as if trying to rouse herself from a dream. The girl couldn’t have been more than four inches tall at most.  
“I’m sorry, this is a little new for me. Is it rude to bend down? How do I do this?”

“It dinnae matter tae me,” the girl stated matter-of-factly. “My name’s Eilidh, nice tae meet ye!” She stood proud and held out a hand. This made things even more confusing for Leaf.

“Uh…” Hesitantly, she began to reach out her hand in return. “Nice to… meet _you,_ ” she replied. As her hand drew close, the small girl jumped up to grab her ring finger, shaking it cheerfully with both hands. 

“So… Hayley?”  
“Eilidh!”  
“...‘Ayley?”

“Aye, now ye got it!” She grinned. “Ah’m a _brùnaidh!”_

As Thomson looked to Leaf, she couldn’t help but notice that the poor host seemed to be short-circuiting. She decided to take the reins, as a mediator of sorts.

“Eilidh here is a ‘broonie’, or if you want to anglicize it, a ‘brownie’. They’re small spirits that, in Scottish folklore at least, tend to carry out chores and cleaning while the household is asleep.”

Leaf nodded in understanding. “Like _The Borrowers,_ okay.”  
Neither Thomson nor Eilidh seemed to understand her, leaving Leaf to awkwardly explain herself.  
“The Borrowers? Little people that live under the floorboards? What about _Secret World of Arrietty?_ Y’all don’t know those?”  
Still nothing.

“...Never mind,” she sighed sheepishly. Suddenly it hit her, and she spoke with what almost sounded like alarm.  
 _“You’re_ the one who cleaned my room, then!”

Eilidh grinned and gave a little jump. “That’s right! Ah figured Ah’d at least clean a wee bit tae show my appreciation fer housin’ me an’ all.”

“I hope this isn’t too sudden, Leaf,” Thomson said with concern. “Naturally, Eilidh doesn’t take up much space or eat much, and I also thought for someone like her a less urban environment would be best. Less foot and street traffic.”

Leaf shook her head. She loved her little family, and as long as everyone got along she didn’t mind expanding it. It also meant no construction would be necessary.  
“It’s absolutely fine. We’d have plenty of room for someone like you,” she smiled, looking down at the brownie.

They quickly got the requisite paperwork out of the way, and as Thomson stood by the door apologizing profusely once more, she found herself cut off by a tight hug from Leaf.  
“It’s not a problem. I’m just glad we’re good. I was afraid you would be scared off.”

Thomson looked down, a bit embarrassed as she hugged her back. “Honestly, I thought the same thing. It’s good to know we’re fine.”

As Leaf headed back into the kitchen to get to know the new girl, a text from Thomson popped up on her phone.

<<🕶️| _and it was a really good time, anyway_ 😅🙈

* * *

“Thomson. Wait.”

The coordinator, still sitting in her idling car with the door open, looked up from her phone to find Sierra staring at her from a few meters away. 

“Oh, Sierra, hello—”  
“We need to talk. You allowed my mother to visit?

With a quiet sigh, Thomson got out of the car.   
“Sierra—“  
“You _do_ remember my reason for being here, right? I can’t believe you didn’t even think to _tell_ me. This isn’t like you at all.”

Having never been on the receiving end of the echidna’s stern gaze, Thomson was paralyzed. She found herself unable to keep eye contact and, as Sierra’s annoyance grew, unable to even speak.

And then, reading her coordinator’s body language, Sierra grew quiet.  
“...You didn’t know, did you.”

Thomson shook her head, still a bit afraid to look Sierra in the eye. “She went over my head. According to my boss, the echidna tribe was considering entering the program and so he OK’d it without a second thought and passed on the contact info.”

“You know that’s a lie, right?”   
“I… do, yes. But the higher-ups just think it’d be good for the program. Anything in the name of ‘fostering peace and unity’ I suppose. … I know it’s too late to retract the information that they’ve given out, but I can fight to have her stay cancelled if y—”

It’s fine.” Sierra shook her head. “I hate it, but… this probably needs to happen.”

Thomson eyed the girl. It wasn’t like Sierra to accept something like this so easily.  
“Are you sure?”

As she responded, Sierra’s phone buzzed in her pocket.

“Yeah. I’ll just kinda… wing it.” She withdrew her phone and checked the message from Leaf.  
“Oh, so _that’s_ why you came by today… Figures.” She chuckled, then heaved a final sigh. “Anyway… I’ll handle it. Can you try to talk to the higher-ups at least? Let them know how bad they fucked up?”

Thomson nodded. “I won’t stop stressing it, I promise. And I’ll do my best to be here as she arrives. It’s the least I can do.”

“You’re not bad, Thomson. Worse comes to worst… there’s a lot of us here to handle her. No law against hurting another liminal if it comes down to it, right?”  
She chuckled again as she turned and headed back toward the door, and Thomson couldn’t help but find it… deeply unsettling.

* * *

“What’s this about a new homestay?”

As she reentered the house Sierra held up her phone to show the group text she had received. Gio and Corin had just made their way into the living room as well, and as the three looked around, Leaf waved them over to the sectional. Chelle and Dessa were sleeping, but they’d surely see the text when they woke before dinner. Corin’s eyes shone bright with curiosity as she took a seat.

“We have someone new, Miss Leaf? Who is it?”  
The mantid always adored meeting new people; others fascinated her and the whole house was well aware she was the most sociable of the bunch… as well as being the best at first impressions.

“Hiya! Ah’m right here,” a charming but thickly accented voice called. They had no clue how they hadn’t noticed sooner, but sitting on a pillow in the chair next to Leaf was an absolutely tiny girl with her hands defiantly placed on her hips.

“Ah’m sure ye ne’er seen such a wee girl before, I’m used tae it. Pleased tae meet ye! M’name’s Eilidh!”

Leaf had expected Corin to gasp in fascination at the new addition, but perhaps she was underestimating her. Instead, her hands clasped together and her claws touched as she gave a deferent bow.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Eilidh! I’m Corin.”

“Ohh, Ah _like_ her,” the brownie noted, hopping the two-foot gap between sofa and coffee table that should have been impossible for someone her size. She made her way to the other end, where Corin sat on the ottoman, and nodded to her.

“So polite! Yer mum taught ye well!” As she spoke, Eilidh looked the girl up and down, adding “an’ such a _bonnie_ lass too!”

Corin giggled as Eilidh turned to the other two nearby, who were much larger in scale than the mantid. “Now as fer the two of ye, dinnae be thinkin’ a me as prey, yeh? An’ watch where ye step!” 

Sierra raised a single eyebrow, her expression flat.  
“Got a _mouth_ on her, doesn’t she…”  
Before Eilidh or Leaf could say anything, Gio leaned in and introduced himself.

“I’m Gio. I’ll be careful, just let me know if I’m ever in the way, yeah?” He extended his wing, which the brownie shook pleasantly.

“Ye got it,” Eilidh said with cheer. “Giooo…” She turne the word over in her mouth as it came out, as if testing it. “A fine name, _very_ manly!”  
The harpy was beaming— compliments like this were rare, and he’d ride this high for the rest of the day. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Sierra spoke up once more.

“...Sorry. New people are always an adjustment for me. I’m Sierra. Cool to meet you.”

Eilidh took a clawed fingertip and shook it, resting one of her hands on the scales just above. She paused for a moment, rubbing it gingerly, then looked up at Sierra.  
“Such louely skin! Softer than I’d expect fer a _sairpent…_ d’ye shed recently?”

Sierra turned a bright red as she yanked her hand back.  
“Wha-?! I… Can we… not talk about that?” She was almost stammering, which was unusual for her and everyone knew it. Her voice grew quiet.  
“That’s… _super personal,_ uhm…” 

Sierra didn’t want to talk about shedding, and she had almost entirely avoided doing so since the day she showed up on Leaf’s doorstep. She _had_ shedded recently, just yesterday in fact, and took care of her whole body as fast as possible so that no one would know. The thought of Leaf seeing her in such a vulnerable state was absolutely mortifying— it was the most intimate thing a serpentine could imagine someone witnessing, and not in a particularly pleasant way.

“Oh, Ah’m sorry, Ah dinnae mean tae upset ye,” Eilidh replied in earnest. “Ah jist have an eye fer the clean, ye ken? It’s wonderful tae meet ye. Anyhow,” the brownie began as she turned back to Leaf, “is there a chance Ah could take a bath somewhere? Might need a wee bit a’ help with it though…” 

* * *

As with each of her other guests, Leaf spent the next half-hour or so showing Eilidh the cabin and all its surroundings. The brownie, who spent most of the tour on Leaf’s shoulder, was in awe— she was used to nature, certainly, but a lakeside cabin was a world of difference from rolling pastures and livestock.

“Ye mean tae say there’s _more_ here? How many homestays d’ye have?”

“Well, there’s Chelle, who’s a serket… and then Dessa, who’s a vampire bat. They’re both really sweet though, you’ll like them.” 

The two were back inside, heading down the hall toward the bathhouse where Leaf figured she would end the tour. The tiny girl looked up at the face beside her.   
“Ouh, a _sairket,_ eh? How exotic!”

As they reached the door Leaf paused, her hand resting idly on the knob. The obvious just struck her..  
“Wait. This isn’t going to work. The bath is enormous.” The sheer scale of it would be to Eilidh what the lake outside was to Leaf.

With a shrug, Eilidh replied. “It’s no a big deal, a sink or something’ll be fine fer me as long as Ah can have my privacy. Show me anyway!”

As she opened the door, Leaf made a mental note to put together a little setup in the smallest bathroom for her new guest. It was only ever really in prolonged use when Leaf or Gio wanted to take a shower, so it would be perfect. She’d take the brownie shopping a bit later for any necessities.

“Jesus…” Eilidh muttered, in awe at the vast bath before her. “Ye really got it made, huh?...”  
“It’s great, right? Courtesy of the program. This is where most everyone likes to bathe, and sometimes relax as a group, so I’m sure we could get something arranged in here for you as well if you’d like.”

The brownie’s face grew warm as she smiled.  
 _What a charmin’ group this is,_ she thought to herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!  
>   
> Eilidh's entry is now on the [Monster Outsider Character Bios](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27789826) page!


	44. A Wee Bit of Banter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eilidh meets the rest of the homestays, and one of them even offers a night of drunken conversation.  
>   
>  _(PS, hey you, yes, you, check out the end notes for a fun update!)_

The trip to gather toiletries and the like was surprisingly easy, and within the hour Leaf had arranged a small basket of toiletries by the bathroom sink that was easily accessible for her new homestay. Although the travel-size bottles of shampoo and body wash were nearly the size of her body, the girl’s surprisingly impressive strength made it no trouble at all so long as she kept herself fed. In fact, since she was a spirit (Leaf had a hard time with this phrasing; spirits were, as far as her American self knew growing up, incorporeal), she was able to make jumps many times her height with relative ease, allowing her to get up to the sink with just a quick hop here and there across surfaces.

Perhaps the most amusing part of this was seeing the three-and-a-half-inch girl walking out of the bathroom, her body wrapped in a dish towel that Leaf had cut up into smaller, more appropriately sized pieces for her to use. Adorning Eilidh’s head was an equally small towel wrapped into a turban to dry her hair.

“Ah, that was  _ pure barry!” _ she sighed in delight as she entered the living space. “Thank ye again, Leaf.”

Leaf couldn’t help smiling. There was something both charming and adorable about the sight.  
“Of course! Everything went okay?”  
She didn’t want to intrude, naturally, but the order of operations for someone of Eilidh’s size bathing in the sink must surely have been a bit complicated.

Feeling fully refreshed, Eilidh trotted around the sectional and hopped up next to Corin, although the cushions of the couch were just about at the height of her jumping ability and she had to scramble the last inch or two.

“Aye, it was louely. Ah’m stronger than Ah look, ye ken.” She wasn’t offended; in fact, she seemed to be bragging. Beside her, Corin gave a pleasant smile. 

“So Miss Eilidh—”

“Ouh please, no need fer missus, Ah beg ye. Jist Eilidh’ll do.”

“—of course! Eilidh… if you’re a brùnaidh, does that mean you possess magic?”

_ Corin adapts perfectly as always,  _ Leaf thought as she leaned back into Sierra.  _ Rolled the ‘R’ and everything. _ It took the stress off the rest of their shoulders, at least, as she was always excited to ask questions. Sierra’s nails gently scratched Leaf’s back as the two listened in.

“Ah do!” Eilidh cheerfully replied. “As ye saw, Ah can move right quick an’ jump high if Ah have the energy, plus a bit more, but the other stuff takes a lot outta me. Vanishin’ and such.”

Leaf blinked in mild surprise. “Well, we’ve certainly never had a  _ magical  _ homestay before… You can vanish?”

Eilidh nodded. “Aye, usually jus’ fer a quick getaway though. No need otherwise, and no’ too far, it’s like a fight-or-flight thing. ...But if ye dinnae mind me askin’, Ah thought they weren’t keen on  _ this _ kind’a thing in the program.” She pointed at Leaf and Sierra, who were nestled close against one another. “Are ye two winchin’?”

Sierra’s hand loosened as Leaf sat forward, immediately flustered. “Well, it’s complicated, I guess—”   
  
She stammered for a moment; her situation with Sierra had yet to require explaining to anyone but Thomson. In her earnest etiquette, Corin went ahead and explained for her.   
“Misses Leaf and Sierra are dating; Miss Thomson said as long as they didn’t show it in public that she would turn the other way. Chelle’s also dating a human, but she’s not technically in the program I think, so it’s not really an issue.”

Eilidh got a grin on her face that looked borderline sleazy.   
“Ouh,  _ really?  _ Congrats on that, then. We can tell which one’a ye is the more innocent one in the bedroom, can’t we?”

Leaf turned bright red, but Sierra just smirked and squeezed her shoulder as if asserting her own dominance. _What can I say?_ _ Girl’s got it right,  _ she chuckled to herself.

* * *

Late in the afternoon Eilidh found herself chatting up her host, sitting on the counter as Leaf withdrew some leftovers from the fridge to reheat. She’d been in other people’s homes, naturally, but everyone here was so _different,_ and because of this she presumed she could go nearly a week watching each person’s daily rituals and routines and have it still feel interesting.

“So what’s your food situation, Eilidh? Any restrictions, preferences, all that?”

“Tae be honest, Ah really jist need a bit a’ milk or cream and Ah’m good tae go,” the brownie chimed, shaking her head. “Gies me plenty’a calories an’ enough energy tae do most of what’s needed. Otherwise Ah do  _ like  _ eatin’, an’ll settle fer anything in particular, Ah’m no a picky lass.”

“Huh, okay,” Leaf said thoughtfully.  _ Easiest one to feed thus far. I can live with that. _

“How about alcohol?” Sierra’s voice inquired as she approached the pair. “Can you drink? Legally or morally?”

For how small Eilidh was, the two were surprised to hear such a hearty, high-pitched laugh coming from her.

_ “Can Ah drink?!  _ Ouh, lass, Ah can drink with the best of ‘em! Whiskey’s my choice, personally.”

Sierra turned to Leaf with a devious grin.“I like her already.” She lowered herself down to near the height of the counter, leveling with the girl.

“You, me, drunk tonight. Deal?”

Eilidh’s eyes lit up. She had been a bit worried about fitting in with the whopping five other liminals but it seemed to be off to a good start. 

“Aye! Ah cannae _ wait!” _

* * *

A bit later Chelle, having slept until nearly six, began sleepily making her way to the living room. As she paused and stretched in the entryway with a yawn, stirrings from the loft above indicated Dessa was waking as well.

“We have another homestay? Is there room?...”   
Chelle was asking genuinely; while she  _ knew  _ it was irrational, a part of her feared the idea of being kicked out of the house so that someone else could stay instead.

“Aye, there’ll be plenty’a room!”

Eilidh hopped off the table and darted over to where Chelle stood. “Ye must be Chelle, the  _ sairket! _ Pleased tae meetcha! Ouhhh, and Ah  _ loue  _ yer hair!”

Even considering their tremendous size difference, Chelle found herself rather flustered.   
“Ah.. th-thank you…”  
As if there was no awkwardness at all, the brownie continued.

“Ah’m Eilidh! Leaf told me Ah’d like ye a lot, ye ken. There’s a bat girl livin’ here too, yea?” 

Chelle nodded, composing herself, and called up to the loft.  _ “Dessaaa, are you up yet? We have a new homestay!” _

After a few moments of what sounded like more frantic rummaging upstairs, the white-furred girl appeared and hopped from the railing to the floor below, muting the impact with a single flap her wings.

“Someone new?! I wanna see!” the girl chimed in a high, fascinated voice. From below, Eilidh greeted her.

“Ouh, ye’re an excitable one, aren’t ye? Ah’m Eilidh, it’s a real pleasure!” 

As Dessa moved her hair out of the way to look for the source, her eyes lit up. “Whoaaa, you’re so little! That’s  _ so cool!”  _ She flopped down immediately on the floor in front of Eilidh.

In the kitchen, Leaf smiled as she watched the three girls talking to one another.  
_ We’ve… really got something special going here, don’t we? I should do something nice for all of them… _

She thought back to the past summer, before the program accepted her. It almost felt foggy, despite being such a short time ago. What did she even do with herself throughout the days?

... _I don’t really remember smiling too much before they came._

* * *

That night, omits everyone fell asleep before it got too late, Leaf included. She pouted a bit when Sierra said she wouldn’t be coming to bed immediately, but the echidna reminded her of the deal she had made with Eilidh to drink together that night. She wasn’t one to break a deal.

The unlikely pair sat in the living room, with Eilidh having laid claim to an ottoman that they moved against the table to keep her drink within reach. As Sierra swirled her tumbler, she looked at the new girl with a smile, who was sipping from a shotglass larger than her head. When she went to bed later on she would make sure to tell Leaf about the adorable sight.

“So how you likin’ the place so far, kid?” Sierra liked having the sectional all to herself; it gave her the chance to spread her tail along the entire length of it, which was a rare enough occasion. Eilidh took another sip from her shotglass before responding.

“Well, Leaf seems right louely, Ah like her. And everyone else seems it too! Got a lot a’ feminine energy in the house, Ah dinnae ken how Gio puts up with it.”

The echidna chuckled and raised her glass. “He’s a good sport. I didn’t like the idea of him here at first, seeing as how he was the only guy, but…” A smile formed on her lips. “...he’s a good dude. You don’t see that much, in humans  _ or  _ liminals.”

“Tell me about it,” Eilidh agreed. “Ye dinnae seem fond of  _ anyone  _ at first, if Ah can say… hou no?”

Sierra raised her eyebrows as she tilted her glass back, draining the last of it past her lips. Her tongue slid out to caress the ice cubes, ensuring every last drop of whiskey made its way betwixt her lips. “Gonna need another drink, if we’re gettin’ personal like this.”

With a clink, her glass hit the table and she lifted the bottle to refill it. Eilidh chimed in while the cork was still out.

“Aye, Ah’ll take another too, please!”

As Sierra watched in disbelief, the tiny girl tilted the shotglass, finishing the massive amount of whiskey (relative to her size, at least) that it contained. She held the open bottle as she stared.

“Uh… you good? Should you be having that much?”

As she swallowed, Eilidh shook her head. “Dinnae be daft, Ah _told_ ye Ah can drink! Next round, c’mon!”

With a resigned shrug, the echidna topped them both off and leaned back in her seat.

“Let’s see…” She began recounting the homestays as she took her first sip. “Hated Corin at first, Gio was okay, didn’t understand why Leaf would take in Chelle less than 10 hours after meeting her, was unsurprised but annoyed when Dessa showed up… That about covers it, yeah?”

“ _ Hated  _ Corin… Hou, though? They all seem pleasant enough, surely.”

“And they are. I guess it’s because I felt protective of Leaf. Wanted it to be just the two of us, no one to interfere. I didn’t…”    
She thought for a second.   
“... I didn’t want the competition.”

Eilidh nodded. “Makes sense if ye ask me. Ye had feelins fer her and ye didnae want tae risk it. But now ye’re together, right? A happy ending, Ah suppose.”

“I suppose  _ so,” _ Sierra agreed with a smile. “Okay, you gotta answer something for  _ me  _ now.” As she spoke, Eilidh took a large gulp of whiskey.

“Fair enough. Try me.”

“You joked about  _ our _ sex life,” Sierra began, “but how’s any of that work for  _ you? _ You’re clearly too small for most liminals. Are there… brownie boys? ...Not that I’m assuming you like boys. I just mean in general.”

With the rosy-cheeked blush of a drunk, Eilidh explained. “There are, aye. Less common though, and if ye ask me they’re a bit full’a themselves. There’s also pixies an’ fairies, too. They’re just a wee bit bigger than me, but they can certainly get the job done.” She turned even pinker at the last line; pixies in particular had a fascinating, even  _ magical,  _ sexual appetite. She’d heard serpentines had quite the sexual reputation as well, but Sierra was taken and she wouldn’t press such a thing.

“Huh. Wouldn’t have guessed,” Sierra replied, nodding thoughtfully.

“My turn, now.” Eilidh sat up on her enormous seat as if about to deliver important news. “Clearly Thomson dinnae have a problem with ye and Chelle winchin’ with humans, so Ah’m curious… what’re the rest’a them doin’ then?” 

A complicated relationship web appeared in Sierra’s mind as she thought it out. 

“Well… hm. Gio and Dessa have definitely hooked up at least once, but they don’t  _ seem _ to be dating or making it regular… I guess otherwise that leaves Corin, yeah? She’s single but pretty sexually liberated or whatever.” She took a sip of whiskey but paused halfway through to clarify the statement. “ _ Mm— _ I don’t mean she’s like a ‘slut’ or anything, no one here’s gonna judge for something like that. She just knows what she wants, and I respect that. Never tell her that though.”

The two giggled and laughed through a few more drinks. By this point Sierra got along with everyone in the house well enough, but it was nice to have someone a bit more on her level for once. Unfortunately, she was growing tired, and it was indeed apparent that the brownie was able to consume far more alcohol than her for her body weight.

“Iiiiii’m gonna lie down, I think. Oof…” As she stood up, the dizziness hit her, and she held onto the back of the sofa for a moment to steady herself. “You should get some sleep too, kid…”

“Aw, pour me one more on the way out, would ye?” Eilidh begged. “Ah think Ah might have a blether with the nightwalkers before I pass out.”

Shaking her head, Sierra obliged with a final shot of whiskey for the girl before heading off.   
“Tonight was fun. Let’s do this on the regular, yeah?”

“Aye, definitely!”

* * *

Sierra knew Leaf was a light sleeper, so as she entered the room she did her best to keep as quiet as possible. Despite the sloshing waves in her head she kept steady and low to the ground, sliding up the bed nearly silently until she was right next to Leaf.  
_ Success,  _ she thought.

“Mm… hi you…” the human’s sleepy voice called out. She didn’t open her eyes, merely acknowledged Sierra’s existence. “Have fun?...”

“Mhm,” she affirmed quietly. “I’m sorry for waking you, go back to sleep…”

“Mm, s’okay…” Leaf half-opened her eyes. “Sex in the morning though, kay? I missed out…”

Sierra’s tail curled around the perimeter of Leaf’s body, a personal shield, and her mind swirled as she looked at her favorite human. “Do we have to wait til morning?” She giggled, which in turn caused Leaf to smile.

“You’re such a horny drunk,” she mumbled with sleepy amusement and gave a weak shove that, more or less, just amounted to putting her hand on Sierra’s stomach. The echidna adopted a seductive face as she grew closer, until their lips met in a feather-light kiss.

“I can’t help itttt. Eilidh and I were talking about our sex lives, and…” She pawed at Leaf’s nightshirt, and her drunken words fell to a whisper as she spoke directly in her partner’s ear.

_ “I’m so… fucking… wet…” _

The thing between Leaf’s legs instantly stirred as Sierra’s breath hit her ear. She was too good at this. Their hips only slightly grazed one another’s but once they did it was over: Sierra’s tail whipped around the girl’s lower half and they were bound together once more. 

_ There  _ was the face she missed. Suddenly awake and looking up at her, weak and needy. But something was off— the picture wasn’t complete.

Sierra’s hand slid up the chest and collarbone of the girl beneath her, finally settling at the base of her neck before squeezing gently. Leaf let out a fragile gasp that cut short as her eyes shone.

_ There. Perfect,  _ Sierra thought with an inebriated giggle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've admittedly written a lot, because, well... monster girls. And by this I mean, if I suddenly stopped writing now and kept posting twice a week, I'd still be able to post content for the next 13(!!!) weeks. Because of this, and because I love these characters and want to share more of them, I think I'm gonna move to posting chapters MWF instead of MTh for a while, starting this week (1/25/21). Let's do this!


	45. Blood, Baths, & Beyond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eilidh spends the rest of her evening getting to know the nocturnal homestays, and spends some quality time the next morning with one of them.

Chelle didn’t know what seemed stranger: holding conversation with a three-and-a-half-inch tall girl sitting on the kitchen table, or the fact that the brownie was highly drunk during “lunch”. She certainly wasn’t used to diurnal company this late. In any case, she sat by the table as Eilidh complimented her. 

“Ah’m bein’ serious though! Ye could look downright menacin’ if ye tried, but ye’re so god-fersakin’ beautiful, it’s a wonderful line tae straddle! Ye and Sierra both!” She hopped up onto her feet and drank from the shotglass of milk beside her, using a clipped coffee stirrer for a straw. Eilidh almost never suffered from hangovers, but milk always served as a way for her to ward them off just in case.

The serket blushed, all six eyes looking away. “Thank you… I used to worry a lot about looking scary to everyone…” She turned back to Eilidh and nodded proudly. “But I’ve gotten better at it!”  
It was true: occasional outings, as well as Jessie and Sierra’s help, had made Chelle _much_ more comfortable in her body than she was two months ago. She was proud of her progress, and while she still had a long way to go, everyone else had noticed the difference as well.

“That’s what matters, lassie! The human world is an unsafe place fer folks like us at times, an’ much as we dunnae want tae admit it, sometimes we gotta make ourselves seem more presentable fer them.” As Eilidh turned to take another drink, she saw Dessa rummaging through the fridge; a moment later the bat sat with them at the table, a frozen crimson treat in her hand. Chelle shuddered.

“I can’t believe you eat those,” she muttered. “So gross…” Dessa happily disagreed as she bit off a piece from the top.

“But they’re so _yummy!”  
_“Ye’re having an ice lolly fer lunch? That’s a helluva choice, Dessa…”

The bat girl grinned, showing off her small but sharp fangs. “I gotta! It’s how I get all my _nutrients!”_ She continued to slurp and munch at the popsicle at an alarming rate. Chelle was pretty sure that Dessa didn’t actually know what nutrients were, and that she had picked the word up from Leaf or Gio, but at least she was learning something.  
“‘Sides, this is the only way the blood will keep for longer than a few days!”

Eilidh gulped and turned to Chelle, who was already looking away from the sight, unable to watch.  
“Did she say _blood?_ Och…” She felt herself sobering up almost immediately. “Ah reckon Ah should’a kent, but Ah hoped maybe that wouldnae be the case… Quite a lot tae take in…”

“I’m fine enough with eating raw meat, if I have no other options,” Chelle groaned in agreement, “but drinking pure blood? Nauseating…”

“I cannae imagine the thought... Well, with that, Ah may as well get tae bed,” Eilidh sighed as she stood up and drank the last of her milk. “Ah’m pure steamin’ and Ah got things tae do durin’ the day, unlike the two of ye. Have a good night!”

The brownie hopped from table to chair to floor, then trotted off to Leaf’s old room. The bed was obviously big enough for a thousand Eilidhs, but until she figured out a more size-appropriate situation she certainly didn’t mind. She traded her dress for a tiny, sheer blue nightgown and curled up among the ocean-sized duvet, falling into a pleasant drunk snooze for the rest of the night.

* * *

Sure enough, Eilidh woke up in the morning hangover-free. _Good as always,_ she thought to herself proudly. Upon leaving the bedroom, she caught Dessa heading into the hallway nearby.

“Oi, Dessa! Ye’re still up? Ah’d have figured ye tae be hangin’ fae the rafters by now…”

The bat girl stopped and put her claw to her chin thoughtfully. “Yeahhh, I guess I’m up pretty late,” she agreed, “but I’m gonna go take a bath before I sleep! Do you wanna come?”

Eilidh thought it over. “Well, Ah _do_ need tae… Think ye can keep me fae drownin’ though? It’s a bit too deep fer me tae manage on my own.”

“Yeah, that’s easy!” Dessa giggled as she scooped up the brownie in her wing and the two headed to the bathhouse.

After a quick rinse beneath the showerheads (which was easier said than done for Eilidh, who had a fair bit of trouble due to the water pressure), Dessa eased her fuzzy calves into the hot water and sank down contentedly.

“Ahh, this is _sooooo good!”_ she cheered as she slid down to her shoulders. Beside her, Eilidh stood on the porcelain and looked around for a safe way to join. After a moment, Dessa turned toward her, parting her hair to expose a single bright eye that peered at her curiously.

“Guess we gotta getcha a little shelf or something,” she thought aloud. “Here! Just sit on my shoulder!” Dessa slumped down a little further so that her shoulders were about two inches beneath the surface. Eilidh raised an eyebrow.

“Ye’re sure ye’re good with a wee naked girl on yer shoulder? That isnae a bit weird fer ye?”   
Dessa shook her head, her hair fluffing gently as it moved.

“It’s okay, really,” she said. 

_Such a sweet thing,_ Eilidh thought to herself. She’d only just met the girl but every word out of Dessa’s mouth always felt so cheerful, like she was just pleased to be in the company of others.

With a small hop off the porcelain Eilidh performed the world’s smallest cannonball, the splash like a pebble on the surface of a pond. Seconds later, she popped back up to the surface and paddled over to Dessa, her thick burgundy hair weighing her down a bit in resistance. 

As she settled in, Dessa gave a small shiver. It didn't bother her in the slightest, but the bare flesh on her shoulder almost tickled, like someone’s fingers resting upon it.

“So Ah’m still tryin’ tae get over the fact that ye drink blood on the regular,” Eilidh said. Despite how outgoing and friendly the brownie was, she admittedly struggled with small talk unless it was accompanied by drinking. She tried her best when sober, to varying degrees of success, but in this particular instance she was lucky: Dessa was excitable, talkative, and friendly, and as a result she easily steered the conversation.

“Mhm!” She sounded proud of the fact. “But you don’t have to worry! I don’t drink anyone here’s blood. We get it from the butcher!” After a beat, Dessa continued, articulating her thoughts aloud. “Although, I _did_ try to drink Leaf’s blood back when I first met her. And well, there was kind of this one other thing. But that doesn’t count!”

Eilidh was a bit confused, but this was superseded by her surprise.

“Haud the bus, ye tried tae drink yer host’s _blood,_ and she still lets ye stay here? That’s absolutely mad.” Harming humans was against the accords, and both of them knew this. But, well, sometimes Dessa’s impulsive nature got the best of her. She wasn’t proud of it— but she wasn’t exactly ashamed either. It was just… a thing that happened.

“Well, it was _before_ she was my host really. But I didn’t actually _do_ it!”

“And what’s the _other thing,_ eh?” Eilidh had her hands on her hips, looking at Dessa like someone whose dog was eating something it wasn’t supposed to. In what would have been a rare sight for anyone in the household, the vampire bat blushed a little.

“Well, uhh… I stayed with Gio one night and we had sex and I did kinda bite him… but nothing bad happened!! I just got a little overwhelmed is all!” She _did_ seem a bit embarrassed about this one. Eilidh remembered what Sierra had said the night prior; it seemed like everyone in the house tried not to cast judgment when things like this happened.

“Well that isnae so bad, Ah suppose… Ah mean, ye need blood tae live, right? I dinnae really _need_ milk or cream but Ah’m damn near useless when it comes tae my magic if Ah go without. Ah’d basically jist be a regular wee girl.”

Another thing that Eilidh found charming about the company she was currently keeping is that Dessa, although easily distracted, listened intently to people if she was interested. And to Dessa there were currently few things more interesting than a tiny housemate.

“That’s so _weird,”_ the bat replied in earnest. “Hey, do you think it’s weird that humans drink animal milk? Leaf was making cereal once and she told me the milk she uses comes from cows. But humans make milk, right? Why don't they just use human milk? I don’t get it at all…”

Historically, brownies had enjoyed whatever milk was given to them by the humans of the house in which they dwelled. This almost always tended to be from cows or goats, so Eilidh never really gave it much thought.

“Humans arenae like ye or centaurs, they mostly only produce milk after havin’ their young. Makes it a might bit hard tae get a haud of it then. Reptile demihumans are the same, Ah believe. Besides, even though their babies drink it, it's taboo among humans fer anyone else tae.”

“Oh… okay, I get it,” Dessa nodded. The others took her to be a bit naïve and scatterbrained, but looks could be deceiving: there were times where she followed the others' trains of thought even better than Gio, and she was proud of this.

“Aye. Milk in more urban places is so processed, though. If we’re bein’ truthful, nothing tastes better than countryside milk fae the source, but that’s rare fer brùnaidhs. In my experience humans dinnae much like when ye try to get milk fae the cow yerself, they get right crabbit with ye. _But,_ if ye’re lucky enough tae associate with the centaurs… dairy centaur milk is supposed tae be absolutely _divine.”_ Eilidh leaned her head back against the surface of the water, closing her eyes as she imagined it. Thirty seconds or so later, Dessa brought her out of her relaxed state with a curious thought.

“I wonder if people drink bat milk.”

Eilidh opened an eye, amused by the notion. “Ah think some folks do, aye, but it’s pretty rare. Cannae say Ah’ve ever had it myself. Hou d’ye ask?”

Dessa looked up at the ceiling, resting her head against the edge of the bath. “Well, if people drink milk from other mammals… the same probably goes for bats, too. Is that right?” 

_A strange train of thought,_ Eilidh thought to herself as she sat back up to look toward Dessa.   
“More likely than no, yeh. Although, no tae poke fun but Ah doubt ye can produce much; ye’ve got wee li’l things.” She didn’t mean anything by it, of course, but she figured Dessa’s endowments couldn’t be more than AA cup— not that there was necessarily anything _wrong_ with a small chest, to her.

“I can too! Don’t be mean, it’s not my fault they’re little…” the girl huffed. Dessa knew how the other girls viewed her, but despite her appearance she wanted to be seen the same as the others, with their curves, who were around her age. The others who, to any stranger in human society, would be considered more adult, more sexual, more mature and deserving of attention or able to give it. Away from home, where she had shared a similar body type to everyone else, she felt a little… outdone.  
“Besides, I can’t really get blood from the others ‘cause I need too much, but you probably don’t need a lot of milk anyway.”

Eilidh was following, or at least she thought she was, and so she asked as neutrally as possible for clarification.  
“Dessa, are ye tryin’ tae propose somethin’?”

The girl shifted uneasily, which almost threw Eilidh from her shoulder. The brownie couldn’t see her eyes, but she didn’t need to: as Dessa looked down into the water the tone of her voice was clear enough.

“I’m not a kid. Kids don’t make milk, I’m not stupid… I’m just as grown as the others. I wanna be useful too.”

Eilidh grew quiet. _The girl may no seem as mature, but she kens it and it bothers her. Poor thing._ Her tiny hand patted Dessa’s shoulder as she spoke up.

“Ah ken ye aren’, Dessa, it’s okay. And Ah’m sorry if Ah hurt yer feelins. Ah’m sure the others dinnae really think that of ye either. But…” The brownie took her time attempting to stand up on Dessa’s shoulder. “Ah think ye should prolly try and get ye some sleep. Ye’ve had a long night and ye’ll feel better in the evenin’.”

Eilidh was right. With extreme care, Dessa swept the small girl up in her wing as she had done earlier and rose from the bath.  
“Thanks for listening to me,” she said, quietly but with an undertone of hope. “I know it’s silly.”   
Eilidh shook her head.  
“Dinnae worry about it. If ye got my back, Ah got yers.”

As Eilidh finished getting dressed and ready for the day, she kept thinking about their conversation.

 _She jist wants tae feel grown an’ useful…_ _  
_ _Ah cannae say Ah blame her: it’s awful hard bein’ small._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An unlikely friendship has entered the building! Go team tiny, go!  
>   
> This is a bit of a side note, but Eilidh's entry with chapter 43 is more or less what I'm considering the second big arc of 'Monster Outsider'. Obviously we'll see a lot with Leaf and Sierra's relationship but I'm excited to dive a lot more into the rest of the gang now that the holidays are over!


	46. Daily Life with Monster Maids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaf arrives home from grocery shopping to a... most unusual sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I've neglected Corin lately, and most of that is because of the sheer amount of ground that needed to be covered— rest assured we'll see more of her now that the other girls are settled in. To make it up to you, she's prepared something nice and intimate...

Leaf gave the passenger side door a forceful bump with her hip, closing it. Almost always, Sierra or Gio or even Corin went with her to get groceries so she wouldn’t have to carry them all herself… and yet, for some reason, everyone was busy today.

 _They could have at least offered to help bring everything in,_ she thought, hardly able to see over the large, full paper bags. _It’s too much food for one girl to carry. Whatever… it’s fine._

As she reached the door, Leaf found herself forced to pull a maneuver she hadn’t done in a long time. Pressing the bags against the door to hold them in place, she reached out to turn the doorknob. Once it clicked, she grabbed the bags again to keep them from falling as the door gave way. It was silly, but for some reason whenever she did it she felt a bit more like a competent adult than usual.

 _Phew…_ She turned slightly to the side to allow herself to see, and then something strange happened.  
Well, stranger than usual. Even considering the, you know, house full of liminals.

**_“Welcome home, Mistress!~”_ **

A chorus of voices chimed in with the sentiment all at once, as Leaf’s homestays smiled and bowed. Not only this… they were all dressed in what appeared to be stereotypical French maid outfits. The exception to this was of course Gio, who was wearing something similar to butler attire.

“Please, allow me, Mistress Leaf.” The harpy stepped forward and took the bags from her, bringing them to the kitchen to put away. Leaf, now empty-armed and blank-faced, tried to articulate her confusion.

“Uhhhh… What’s going on?...”

The next to speak was Sierra, whose smile was surprisingly bright.  
“This is the second part of your Christmas gift! I realize it’s a bit late, but we thought it would be fun to give you a day that’s all yours, and it required a bit of preparation.”

Sierra and Leaf had watched a fair amount of anime together over time, which was presumably where she got the idea for something like this. Maid cafés certainly weren’t an American phenomenon, after all.  
_But if Sierra got the idea from one of our shows, she should know how uncomfortable this kind of thing might be._

Taking a deep breath, Leaf looked around at each of the girls.  
“... Alright, I’ll bite. Let’s do it.”

The girls cheered, and the first to take Leaf’s hand was Corin who, surprising no one, looked absolutely at home in the frilly black-and-white outfit. She directed her host to the bathhouse, which Leaf hardly recognized as they entered. The lighting was limited to a large amount of tealight candles that decorated the floor before them, arranged in a semicircular arc extending outward. A few feet before them was a plain white sheet that seemed to be draped over some pillows and tucked in, spanning about six feet in length. Essentially, Leaf gathered, it was a makeshift massage table.

“If you’d like to go ahead and lay down, Mistress Leaf, I can commence your massage. If you’re comfortable enough you may undress and don a towel, but that’s entirely up to you.”

Leaf stared at the pillows. Then to Corin. Then to the rack near the door where many neatly-folded white towels were stacked.   
With a shrug she picked one up, and Corin turned away as her host disrobed. A few moments later Leaf was laying face down along the padding, a towel folded around her waist.

Leaf knew that Corin was good at massages, but she had yet to experience it firsthand. What she _didn’t_ expect was the amount of effort that had gone into this time.

“As a warning I’m going to be straddling your back during the massage, so please let me know if you’re uncomfortable at any point. Your comfort is key, after all.”

Sure enough, she felt the mantid’s thin legs on either side of her, followed by the sound of her ruffling her skirt out of the way. After a few seconds of silence, she felt Corin’s articulate fingers running up and down her back, coated in warm oil.

“Mm…”  
Leaf would have assumed that soft hands were a must, much like those of any human masseuse. But there was a definite advantage to someone like Corin. In fact, it reminded her of a massage chair— firm and, at times, intense. She could get used to this.

The hands slid back up her body to the shoulders, where they began to squeeze for just a moment before pausing.

“Mistress,” Corin whispered, “you carry _so much tension_ in your shoulders, I’ve never felt muscles this tight… I apologize if this is uncomfortable for you, please do your best to relax…”

The tough, slender digits worked themselves into Leaf’s shoulders slowly but incessantly, doing their best to loosen her up. Leaf found herself wincing here and there, but she could handle a little pain. The majority of sensation was heavenly, after all.

 _“Nghh…_ mm… damn, Corin… you’re amazing…”

Corin blushed at the remark. She was used to kindness and compliments from those she lived with, but outright _praise_ flustered her deeply.  
“Thank you, mistress…”  
With a smile, she began working her fingers down the sides of Leaf’s body, pausing near the ribcage to press deeper. The next sensation was entirely unanticipated by Leaf: the backs of Corin’s claws began to knead up and down the center of her back while the mantid continued her work with her hands. Leaf elicited an unexpected moan at the result— it was like having several people tending to her all at once.

“If you’d like, we can implement a stretching regimen at some point as well…” As Corin offered her thoughts, she kept her voice just above a whisper, which sent tingles through Leaf’s body as she spoke. The human didn’t _think_ ASMR was her thing, but the sensation had her reconsidering her stance. “With a job like your own you’re mostly sedentary, and the slouching that comes with it is putting a _lot_ of tension in your trapezius muscles…” She pressed into a particularly resilient knot. “...as well as here, in the latissimus dorsi.”

The increased pressure on her sides caused Leaf to grunt again, but paired with it was a soothing relief that had begun to settle into her once-tight shoulders. She simply nodded quietly, reserving her voice for affirmations and moans. As Corin’s hands worked their way back up to the shoulders, they slowed, and her petite whisper arose once more.

“Mistress Leaf, if you would like me to massage your hips and legs I will, though I leave any further areas to your discretion.”

Leaf thought about their uncomfortable moment in the baths together, the night of the full moon. If anything, that night was a clear outlier— Corin had otherwise been nothing but respectful as long as they’d known each other. Hell, even her one-time offer of _sex_ was obscenely polite. In order to be heard with any sort of clarity Leaf had to pull herself out of the haze of bliss she had drifted into, which was by no means easy.

“I trust you, Corin. Go ahead.”

With a soft smile, Corin allowed her hands to move gently back down her host, caressing her hips before skipping down to her hamstrings, a few inches below the towel’s edge. Her claws reached up to continue kneading directly above Leaf’s behind. The human could tell once the massage was over that her body, and especially her legs, would be jelly.

Leaf was hesitant to flip over when prompted, but if anything she was telling the truth: she _did_ trust Corin. And besides, the towel was still covering her most sensitive region. As she repositioned herself onto her back she shut her eyes to avoid any awkwardness, and Corin knelt down once more.

“Again, your comfort is key so please don’t be afraid to let me know your boundaries.”

The dim candlelight proved to be Leaf’s friend— she _knew_ she was blushing, it was obvious to herself and so certainly it would be obvious to others. But in the soft orange glow, thankfully, it was difficult to tell. The petite, tough fingers began on her shoulders once again before moving downward, back and forth beneath her collarbones. Gently, as if handling glass, the hands slid to Leaf’s breasts, before pausing.

“Mistress?”  
With a deep breath, Leaf nodded, and the hands resumed, caressing and kneading her chest. Although she wasn’t surprised, she found herself somewhat relieved by Corin’s professionalism— this was a girl who clearly knew the difference between therapeutic and erotic touch, and applied the former like a true specialist. Any grazing of Leaf’s nipples was clearly accidental and fleeting.

Leaf reined in a moan or two to try and avoid any awkwardness, but as if proving her thoughts about Corin’s professional nature, the mantid whispered an affirmation as she worked.

“Don’t hold back, Mistress Leaf; like I said, you need to relax your body entirely. You don’t have to worry about feeling uncomfortable.”

As if trying to draw it out, Corin’s thumbs worked circles against the inner part of each breast. She succeeded; Leaf allowed her body to sink further into the massage and a quiet moan left her lips.

“Very good,” her masseuse affirmed quietly. The near-whispers once more sent a tingle along the back of Leaf’s neck, and she did her best to tune out any butterflies that arose in her hips from the comment.  
“Now, Mistress, some full massages include working of muscles along the inner thighs and groin region. Nothing sexual, of course, but if you’re comfortable with the idea I’d like you to simply nod or shake your head so I know where to conclude your massage farther along the line.  
…  
… …  
… I see. Thank you, Mistress.”

Leaf was a bit surprised to find that, despite her relatively sedentary lifestyle, a foot rub felt absolutely amazing. She didn’t consider herself someone with much muscle pain, but the massage as a whole was proving just how tightly wound she actually was, head to toe. The sensation of Corin’s claws kneading her quadriceps was heaven enough to fall asleep to, and she nearly did— but eventually the limbs all came to a stop, hands resting gently by her inner thighs.

Leaf nodded once again, and once more found a moan dripping from her mouth as her thigh muscles loosened with the girl’s touch. Gradually, almost imperceptibly, the hands moved upward, until they met the towel’s edge, which was lifted off.  
She was entirely vulnerable now. 

Corin spent a loving amount of time tending to one leg and then the other, kneading the interior and exterior of her mistress’ upper thighs simultaneously as her thumbs worked the quadriceps once more. After the hands left her thighs, Leaf took a deep breath to relax herself: Corin’s thumbs rested just above and to either side of what lay between her legs, pressing in small circles to massage the muscles that surrounded it, moving down with intense care and caution. A minute or two later, there was one last run of the palms and fingertips along Leaf’s body before she felt Corin placing the towel back on its proper spot and lifting herself up.

“I hope that was to your liking, Mistress.”

Leaf slowly opened her eyes, blinking to adjust to the orange flicker of candlelight around her. Corin was kneeling off to the side near the door, and bowed her head slightly as her host made eye contact. It took a moment to summon the muscle strength not only to move but to rise to her feet, and Corin remained polite and at attention the whole time.

“If that will be all, I’ll leave you to get dressed and when you come outside we can resume your evening. If you’d prefer, you can wear a robe instead. And please don’t worry about the candles, I’ll clean up.”

With one last quiet moan as she stretched, Leaf nodded. “Thank you, Corin. It was absolutely wonderful.” As she spoke she still sounded seconds away from falling asleep. Corin gave another bow as she rose and left the room to Leaf, who began to get dressed once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “tetralise did you really write a full massage chapter” you bet your monsterfucker ass I did


	47. Daily Life with Monster Maids, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaf's evening of pampering from her maids— er, homestays— continues.

“Hello, Mistress. If you’d like to follow me, dinner is prepared.”

Out of all of the homestays it felt the most surprising for Leaf to see Gio acting in this capacity. His hair was pulled back into a clean, professional knot and his suit (which she assumed the group had _also_ bought online from a cosplay site) had lengthy coattails. Even aside from that, she had never heard him speak so properly. The difference was a bit jarring.

Leaf followed the enormous harpy down the hall and to the kitchen, where the table had been covered in a draping white cloth. As she took a seat Gio stepped away for a moment, before Dessa stepped into view with a bottle of wine. Leaf thanked the girl as she poured, and almost immediately after, a steaming plate of chicken parmesan and pasta was set before her. A bit taken aback, she stared at the meal for a moment— suddenly, she felt out of place in her own kitchen, enjoying wine and italian cuisine in a fluffy white bathrobe. She turned to Gio, impressed.

“...You did this? When did you get this good?”

As he chuckled, Dessa returned and set a small basket of garlic bread on the table, bowing slightly. “Is there anything else we can get you, Mistress?”

The human looked back and forth between the two of them. The whole situation was still a bit surreal.  
“Uhm… I know she’s a part of this whole thing, but do you think Sierra could join me?”  
If the group had indeed been inspired by maid cafés, this wouldn’t be too unusual a request: in some places, if it was requested by clientele, a maid would join their table for conversation or games during their visit.

“Of course!” Dessa bowed once more, wandering out of sight. A minute or so later Sierra appeared, still in her maid garb, and pulled up a seat across from Leaf. She smiled pleasantly, which Leaf found adorable if not a bit unnerving.

“Hi Mistress, is your evening going well so far?”

Leaf began cutting into the steaming chicken breast before her as she nodded. “I can’t believe you really did all this. It’s so over the top…” She continued as Sierra looked at her curiously; she didn’t want the comment to come off as ungrateful. “...but incredibly nice. It’s amazing.”

The echidna blushed deeply.  
“We just wanted to do something nice for you… that’s all. You deserve it.”

Shaking her head, Leaf countered the point. “It’s too much, you’ve done far more than you needed. Be honest with me, was this your idea?”

“Was it that obvious? Corin helped with most of the planning, though. And everyone put a lot of work into it.” With a wink, Sierra flashed a trademark fanged grin. “And it’s far from over.” 

As Gio came by and poured a glass of wine for Sierra as well, Leaf raised an eyebrow.  
“And the costumes?”

Sierra leaned forward a bit, puffing out her chest and fluttering her eyelashes. “Oh Mistress, I don’t know what you _mean…_ I’m but your simple maid.” It became Leaf’s turn to blush, which elicited an uncharacteristically feminine giggle from Sierra.

* * *

The food was remarkable and the company a delight; Gio had _obviously_ been practicing. _Maybe he and Dessa could open a restaurant or something,_ Leaf thought amusedly to herself. As dinner wrapped up, Sierra stood and held out a hand.

“If you’re ready, Mistress, we can continue to the next part of your evening?”

Leaf nodded and slowly rose, finishing off a second glass of wine as Gio collected her plate. She took Sierra’s hand, who led her back down the hall to the bathroom once more. This time, as she opened the door, the scene was different— though not by much.

The tealights that once arced along the entryway had been rearranged into two rows, forming a flickering pathway that led to the now-full bath. Its edges were decorated with additional lights every few feet, and the surface of the water had been graced with a number of flower petals.

Leaf slowly walked down the aisle, enveloped by a soft sense of awe. As she reached the edge of the bath, she felt Sierra’s hands rest gently upon her shoulders.  
“May I, Mistress?”

Flustered, Leaf nodded, and she felt the soft white bathrobe slide off her body.

Leaf had never exactly had someone wash her before, and it was a strange sensation to say the least. But she took the advice of Corin earlier and Sierra now, and relaxed with a slow, deep breath. Delicately, claws pulled her hair back into a ponytail before they ran along her shoulders, soaping and scrubbing her body with the utmost care. Leaf’s whole body shuddered; somehow, this felt more intimate than _any_ contact she’d had with Sierra prior. Her hands, despite their roughness, were cautious and loving, washing every inch of her partner as though she were made of glass.

“...Sierra?”  
“Yes, Mistress?”  
“... Would you like to join me?”

* * *

Sierra assured Leaf that she would tidy up, and encouraged her host to continue on to the next part of her evening. After drying off and donning her robe once more, Leaf headed outside to find Dessa waiting.

“Are you ready? Please, follow me!”  
The small bat girl took Leaf’s hand in her claw— a peculiar feeling, to say the least— and brought her to the living room sectional to have a seat. Moments later Chelle emerged from the hallway carrying a small box. Seated on her shoulder was Eilidh.

“Hello, Mistress.” Chelle’s demeanor was much more reserved than the other girls, which seemed fitting.  
 _All we’re missing now is a ‘tsundere’ maid,_ Leaf thought with an amused smile. As they approached, the serket grew a bit red-faced.  
“Uhm… if you could… lift your feet for me?”

With a second or two of confusion their host obliged; as she did so, Eilidh’s impressive strength quickly slid one of the ottomans across the floor until it was beneath Leaf’s feet, keeping them propped up. The box in Chelle’s hands opened, displaying an array of nail polishes of varied colors. Leaf recognized them all, of course— they were hers— but the effort was remarkable.

“What color would you like?”

Leaf smiled, and after a moment of deliberation she set her finger upon a light teal and a pastel yellow. Chelle nodded and withdrew the two, then turned on the television to set it to a relaxing music channel.

“Mistress, if ye would gie’s yer hand?”

Leaf hadn’t even noticed Eilidh approaching her; as the brownie hopped onto the tray in her lap, she took Leaf’s fingers in her hands and began squeezing and massaging them, a surprisingly relaxing effort from such a small girl. At the same time, Chelle worked some lotion into her host’s feet and calves  
After the brief pampering, the pair went to work, each with a bottle of nail polish. What surprised Leaf the most was Eilidh’s dexterity with the brush that was more than half her height; her paint job ended up surprisingly immaculate, better than Leaf had ever done for herself, and in record time as well.  
 _Brownies are really something, huh?…_

Chelle’s paint job took a bit longer, though she had clearly been practicing her dexterity with her pointed fingers. As they waited for the polish to dry, they encouraged their host to close her eyes and relax… which proved fantastically easy after the last few events. In the back of her mind, though, she was a bit let down that the bath didn’t go entirely how she wanted.

After melting into Sierra’s caress in the water, Leaf had slowly found herself more and more aroused, eventually turning to ask for further, more intimate touch. But her partner-turned-maid simply smiled, with a chuckle and a gentle kiss, and said _not yet, my mistress._

Leaf was relaxed, yes, but the butterflies in her chest and hips were frantic.

* * *

After nearly drifting off, Leaf found herself refocusing with the gentle touch of a claw. Chelle’s claw, to be exact.

“Mistress… if you’d like, Sierra is waiting for you in her quarters.” The serket blushed and looked down as she said this. Chelle had felt a bit ridiculous with the whole routine at first: the outfit, the overstated deference… but by the end, well, she certainly imagined doing something like this for Jessie.  
She walked her host back through the hall one last time, rounding the corner to Sierra’s room. At their arrival she took a bow and excused herself.

She had no idea why, not in the slightest, but Leaf found herself nervous. Maybe it was the earlier denial of intimacy, or the repeated uncertainty of what would come next throughout the evening finally culminating in this. Shaking it off, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

* * *

In the kitchen, the remaining maids and butler were seated together, enjoying the meal that they’d earned for their hard work. After their visit in the fall to the steakhouse, Gio found himself wanting to recreate fancier dishes, and today had essentially been his test run. It turned out to be a pretty admirable success, especially for someone with no fingers.

“The look on her face when she came in was _priceless,”_ Eilidh guffawed as she sat on the table, munching on a slice of garlic toast bigger than herself. Chelle agreed.

“I can’t remember ever seeing her so _confused._ Do you think she had a good time, though?”

With full mouths, the others nodded. Refusing to be impolite, Corin waited until she swallowed to respond.  
“If I’m being honest, I’ve _never_ seen her more relaxed than during her massage,” she said. “She really needed this. Imagine how stressful it must be, having _six_ homestays to look after!”

“Either way, it was kinda weirdly fun, yeah?” Gio rose to bring a plate full of steak cuts to the table for everyone to share. “And having a chef’s assistant made it a lot easier to juggle, too.” He smiled at Dessa, who grew giddy from being acknowledged.

“So what do we do after this?” she chirped. Dressing up had been half the fun for her; she had already decided that if maid cafés were a thing in America, she would want to work at one.

Corin clapped her hands together. “Well _we’ve_ done just about everything! We just need to make sure everything is cleaned up from today and then I say we take a well deserved bath, yes?”

Everyone agreed. They’d worked hard to give their host a wonderfully relaxing day, so maybe it was time to treat themselves as well.

...Besides, Sierra could _certainly_ occupy Leaf for the rest of the night.

* * *

“Corin, are you just about ready?”

As Chelle entered the mantid’s room, the both of them froze— Corin, phone in hand, was leaning forward and taking suggestive photos in her maid outfit, the top pulled down to show most of her breasts for the camera. She cleared her throat and stood upright once more, flattening out her ruffled white pinafore.  
“Just about, yes! I’m sorry, Miss Chelle… how embarrassing of me!”

In a confused yet dry tone, Chelle tried to piece together what she saw.  
“What… are you doing?” 

“Well, I… thought I looked nice, and I wanted to take photos before I took the outfit off.” She blushed gently.

“Oh…” Chelle paused and thought about it for a moment. “Just photos for yourself?”  
Corin turned slightly pinker, though she wasn’t exactly _embarrassed_. “Well, maybe… I guess it depends. Maybe I’ll send one to someone later. It’s important to feel sexy now and again, you know? Especially when you’re single.”

She _didn’t_ know; in fact, “sexy” was something Chelle hadn’t particularly felt at _any_ point.  
“Do people… like to receive that kinda stuff?”

“Oh yes, I’d say so. Especially humans.” Corin considered it for a moment more. “Though, I think the most important thing is that it makes you feel good about yourself too.”

 _Especially humans…_  
The serket thought about this, then thought about when she first put on maid outfit and felt embarrassed looking at herself in the mirror. She knew, though, that she was hard on herself. She always was.

“...Do you… think Jessie would like it?”

Corin flashed an encouraging smile. “I think she’d find you _super adorable_ and _extra sexy,_ definitely!”

The roundabout compliment had Chelle growing flustered. She wouldn’t really even know where to _start_ with pictures to send her girlfriend. Fortunately, Corin was proactive and borderline psychic when it came to reading people— or perhaps Chelle just tended to wear all her emotions on the surface.

“If you’d like, I’d be happy to take some for you!”  
“Wha—... really?”

“Of course!” Corin giggled. “Come on, we’ll have a full-on photoshoot after our bath. You’ll look so good Jessie will want to drop everything she’s doing and drive over here right away !”

Before she stripped down and made her way to the bath, Corin picked her phone back up and typed out a quick message, attached a risqué selfie, and hit ‘send’.

|🌸>> _Think I’d be too distracting as a maid?_ 😽💕


	48. Room Service [E]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **CW: Explicit sexual content**

“... Hello, Mistress…”

Sierra seemed more nervous than usual, and for once Leaf couldn’t tell if it was part of the ‘maid’ act. She was clad once more in her short black dress and pinafore, her hands clasped together in front. As Leaf took a step toward her, she blushed.

“I’m here to… fulfill anything you ask of me. Anything at all. I’m… your humble servant.”

 _Phew… Well then._ Leaf drew even closer, her hips fluttering with warmth, until she was a mere two feet away. She cocked her head, looking Sierra’s shy face over to try and discern if the girl’s nerves were real, or only an act. This only made her blush further.

“Sierra.”  
“...Yes, ma’am?...”

“... Is this what you want?”  
She watched the muscles flex in Sierra’s neck as she swallowed. There was no response.

“...Because I _know_ what you’re good at, and I know what you like to do to me. So tell me…”

Leaf wasn’t used to speaking like this… if anything, she loved to be the one _spoken to_ in this fashion. But, well, the butterflies in her hips were already incensed and she too would do anything in this moment where all her tension had already melted away. So she spoke the words she would love to hear, to test their effect on Sierra for a change, and with one last step forward pressed her hand up beneath the frills of the skirt, between her hips.

“...is _this…_ what you want?”

As soon as her fingertips made contact Sierra’s whole body shivered violently, causing a quick thrash of her tail.

_“...yes, Mistress…”_

The fingers began to move slowly up and down, drawing out wetness, and Sierra almost buckled in shock as she whimpered. 

“I shouldn’t even give this to you, you know… you denied me earlier, so why should I please you now?” Sierra’s breathing increased in labor as Leaf spoke into her ear, firmly and assertively. The human had _clearly_ learned something from her more aggressive partner. “What makes you think you deserve this?...”

The scene wasn’t Sierra’s typical M.O. either; in fact, it was usually _difficult_ for her not to take control. But she was becoming lost in the feeling, finding the idea of her typically-reserved host taking what she wanted for once unusually hot.  
“... I don’t… I don’t, Mistress… but please…”  
She began squirming against Leaf’s fingertips, the fabric giving way just enough for them to sink slightly between her folds.

“Please, make me yours…”

Sierra’s eyes slammed shut with a gasp as Leaf pulled her hair tight, exposing her scaled neck. There was no nibbling to be done on the new flesh, it was far too tough for that… but she knew it was one of the features that the echidna resented a bit in private. So as she continued to rub beneath her personal maid’s skirt, Leaf kissed and sucked and licked her neck in adoration.

“You don’t need these, then.”

Sierra took in a soft breath as she felt the thin, silky fabric removed from between her hips, leaving her exposed to the probing fingers. She shivered and then found herself pressing her body against Leaf as her fingers slipped gently into the warmth. With a gasp and whimper, Sierra rolled her hips up against her mistress, craving more.

“L...Leaf…”  
“Excuse me?” Leaf immediately withdrew her fingers, allowing them to hover a mere inch away, teasingly. “What was that?”

“Fuck… _Mistress…”_

Leaf shook her head. “I don’t think so. You’ll have to earn it now.”  
“But…”

Sierra blushed as Leaf’s hand rested against her cheek, thumb brushing against her lips.

“No ‘but’s. You said you’d serve me. So now I want you to do what you do best and please me. And if you do a good job…”  
A single fingertip brushed impossibly lightly between Sierra’s hips, causing her to falter as Leaf whispered into her ear.

“...then I promise you, I will take _such_ good care of you, baby.”

It was an easy compromise, and all Sierra needed to hear. Her body loathed her for the sudden loss of contact and she would do anything to earn it again. She pulled the soft white robe off Leaf’s shoulders and slowly sank to the ground, running her hands up the human’s bare thighs and hips, and back down lovingly. As kisses peppered the area between her hips, Leaf closed her eyes and drew in a breath.

Sierra knew that Leaf was… _particular_ about oral, given her troubled relationship with the thing between her legs. It was complicated— she didn’t even like the _word_ that most people used for it; it felt so grotesque and masculine, things that didn't describe her body in the least. In the last couple weeks of intimacy, Sierra had been attentive and cautious and inquisitive to ensure that she could please the girl she cared for without drawing out any anxiety about her body. After all… it was her self-appointed job to protect, right? And that included protecting Leaf from her own discomfort.

She kissed the thing as it stirred, slowly rising, and brushed her lips against it gently. Her hands ran up and down once more as she gave her affections before looking up to Leaf’s face, which was tilted back, her eyes closed.

“Lie down for me, Mistress.”

Leaf obliged, shivering as the frill of Sierra’s skirt tickled her calves and thighs. She stepped over to the bed and lay down on her back, watching the maid slither quietly up to her hips to continue her delicate work.

Sierra’s tongue was borderline masterful in its execution, its dexterity leaving any need for the bobbing motion of her head far behind. Instead, she surrounded Leaf with the warm wetness of her mouth, her tongue stroking the underside lovingly before moving to wrap around the head. Leaf could try to play the role of mistress, but Sierra was good at what she did, and her awareness of every little sound or movement from Leaf made her all the better at not bringing her too far, not pushing her over the edge of bliss.

And it was Sierra’s awareness of these things that caused the attempted mistress persona to crumble into dust.

“Mm… fuck, Sierra…”

She could almost feel the echidna smiling against her hips as she worked… and as Sierra’s mouth retreated, her claws tingled Leaf’s sides. She had to try not to sound cocky.

“Yes, Mistress?...”

A whimper left Leaf’s mouth as she shook her head. “I can’t keep this going…” As soon as she said this, Sierra’s tongue brushed against the tip, gathering a sticky-sweet droplet of pre-come. A razor-thin strand connected the two girls together as Sierra giggled.

“Are you sure, Mistress?” The shimmering thread broke and she drew her tongue back into her mouth, savoring it with a pleased smile. “What would you like from me?...”

Leaf’s thighs shuddered in Sierra’s grip.

“I can’t fucking take it anymore… Fuck me. Ruin me. Please…”

With one last giggle, Sierra slid up to meet her mistress’s lips and Leaf felt the tail slide beneath her legs, wrapping the pair tight together. Her favorite.  
She couldn’t see beneath the frilled black-and-white skirt, but she could definitely _feel,_ and as Sierra slid Leaf’s delicate clit inside of her the human gasped and squirmed.

“Anything you ask, _kitten…”_

It didn’t take long. Leaf had felt like she was going to burst from Sierra’s tongue alone, and the overwhelming warmth and tightness of her hips was an entirely different beast. Even before they had ever been intimate, back when they would stay up late and drink together, Leaf had explained some of her hangups with sex… which meant that Sierra’s bright ideas weren’t just limited to going down on her. No thrusting— just achingly slow, grinding pulses, until the point where they couldn’t discern their hips from one another, until Leaf felt like she was going to scream. Every little squirm and whimper from Leaf on the way to orgasm brought the predator alive.

 _“Such beautiful prey,”_ Sierra whispered softly, her fangs gleaming. She usually was courteous of their neighbors, muffling Leaf’s loudest moans with her own hand or lips, but this time she refused. There was no reason for her toy to keep silent, not tonight.

_“Look at me. ... Open your mouth.”_

Leaf timidly obliged, feeling Sierra’s thumb guide her lips open.  
_“Wider.”_

With staggered breaths she did as she was told, and as Sierra’s tongue slid out from her mouth so too did her lustful saliva, which slowly made its way down in a shimmery spiral past Leaf’s own lips.

_“Good girl. Now, you have to do one more thing for me… and don’t you dare hold back.”_

WIth that, Sierra’s grip tightened and her hips rolled with strong, rhythmic bursts, drawing a sudden, surprised cry from the girl beneath her..

 _“Ah..!_ I can’t—... _fuck…”_

Three. Four. Each tight, deep, forceful swirl of her hips more unbearable than the last.

 _“Fu—”_ The word didn’t even finish, shifting into a squeak halfway through.

Five.

_“Come for me, kitten.”_

Six. And then, Leaf’s muscle spasms struggled against the coils as her cries hit fever pitch. The only thing she could hear past her own moaning was Sierra’s giggling, teasing her as the tingling sensation rocketed throughout her limbs. Without a moment of hesitation she pulled the echidna down against her and kissed her with unrestrained passion, needing an outlet that she actually had control over as she came back-to-back.

As the sensation gradually leveled out, Sierra rolled her hips in one more circle, before tugging at Leaf’s lip with a growl.

“Mm… I will _never_ tire of playing with you…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I talked about this on the last explicit chapter with Leaf but I think it bears repeating... I adore being able to write sex and romance with a trans character, and for that specific reason this chapter is important to me. And I mean that more here than with the NYE one— whereas that was a drunken liaison, this is a far more personal and intimate scene. There’s a huuuge lack of representation out there, and a lot of assumptions & misconceptions from people who have never met a trans person and/or whose prior understanding is just derived from stereotypes and porn, and trans people deserve better than that! They deserve to have their bodies showcased in a way that highlights and celebrates their differences while making them feel just as desirable as anybody else without fetishizing and stereotyping.  
>   
> Anyway, I'm rambling, but thanks for reading.


	49. The Ties that Bind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three weeks have passed, and the moment Sierra has feared has finally arrived.

“Seriously, why can’t you be here for this? You’re the coordinator!”

Thomson glanced to the driver and then back out the heavily-tinted windows. She felt awful, especially considering the circumstances, but it was another missive from those higher-up, and this one was more important than usual: it was a request on the federal level.  
“I’m sorry, Sierra… you _know_ I want to be there to make sure it all runs smoothly, but I have no say in this. They’re sending me up to D.C. through the weekend, and I won’t be back until Sunday night. But you can handle it, you said so yourself! Trust me, it’s all going to be okay.”

Sierra grumbled into the receiver. She knew it wasn’t guaranteed that Thomson would be there today. “Fine. But I still hate this and you owe me an immense favor.” 

The sound of stirring gravel emanating from out front came to a halt as she hung up the phone.  
“Jerk…”  
Leaf squeezed Sierra’s hand and planted one last kiss on her lips— they had decided, while the visitors were present, to avoid any showings of intimacy. If Sierra’s family were seeking to withdraw her from the program, an interspecies romance could be used by them as leverage.

With a deep breath, they opened the door.

At first, the sight was… surreal, for Leaf. She only knew one serpentine, let alone echidna, and now there were four clustered in the hallway before her. It was sensory overload, to say the least. She already knew from the photograph how similar they all looked, but seeing it in person was an entirely different matter. If it weren’t for their hair and distinct facial markings, Leaf felt she could easily have gotten them confused.

Lachesis’ markings were more numerous than those of her kin: six distinct and jagged spears of brown pointed inward from her jaw, ears, and hairline. The two daughters she brought with her had markings inverted from one another’s— one girl had two points coming straight up from either side of her jaw to around nose level, the other with two pointing down beneath her eyes. The realization that, of the four, Sierra was the only one whose marks were _real_ hit Leaf, and if she weren’t so overwhelmed already she would have laughed about it. She knew on the inside that Sierra was proud of the fact, and that she felt it made her better, stronger than them.

“Laemus dear, hello… We’ve missed you _so much!”_

“...Hi, mom.” Sierra tried not to wince. Her mother was already clearly trying to sound kinder and more elegant than she’d ever known.

“And you must be Leaf, correct? It’s a pleasure to meet you, thank you for taking care of my girl.” She held her hand out delicately.

The picture didn’t do Lachesis justice: she was even more radiant than the photograph could capture, her aura from both the way she carried herself and her words permeating every inch of the cabin’s entryway. Her voice, a low, assertive alto, spoke slowly and deliberately. It felt, to Leaf at least, like meeting a fierce warrior queen. Despite her imposing nature, though, she still seemed to carry a rather maternal presence.

“Of course. It’s Lachesis, right? It’s really nice to meet you too.” As Leaf took her hand, the echidna’s tongue flicked out to taste the air surrounding her. 

Lachesis’ eyes, upon meeting Leaf’s own, were hypnotizing. In a contrast from Sierra, her eyes were a fierce gold, the same gold that had been passed down to her twin daughters.

“So, _sister,_ how’s everything been? You came to America? What, did Japan not want you?”  
The twins giggled, and as Sierra growled their mother held up a hand without facing them.

“Play nice, Sistrurus. You owe your sister some politeness. It’s been a long time, after all.”  
With a resentful look on her face, the girl ceased immediately.  
In an effort to quickly shift the mood, Leaf led the trio into the living area, encouraging them to take a seat and offering drinks.

Whenever all of Leaf’s homestays were in the same room, Sierra typically had to mind her tail so as to avoid being stepped on. At present, Leaf had to be even _more_ cautious of where she stepped, as all four echidnas’ lengthy bodies wound around the coffee table and its surroundings. It would look beyond terrible if she were to step on someone’s tail five minutes after they entered her home— especially the mother of her... _girlfriend? I guess? We never really gave it an official title…_

“So, Leaf, I hope my Laemus hasn’t been giving you much trouble…”  
Leaf shook her head immediately. “Oh no, not at all. She’s wonderful to have.”  
“I see.” Lachesis’ face looked stern for a moment, before breaking into a smile. “Well, I must say this place seems quite remote… Laemus, I’d imagine it must be difficult to find a suitable man, one that could be brought back home?”

Raising an eyebrow, Sierra responded dryly. “Even if I had, I’m not interested in sharing.”  
The twins giggled together once more, before the one on the right spoke up. “Oh come on, you _know_ how fun it gets… how could you not want that intense, writhing pit of ecstasy, surrendering your body to the tribe husband and everyone around you?”  
Her sister joined in. “Sex with _one_ is nice, sure… but you can’t deny what your Jacobson’s organ feels in that moment.”

“Now girls, don’t get too illicit around Laemus’ host… look, the poor thing is blushing.”

It was true; at first Leaf had grown a bit pink from the idea of hiding her and Sierra’s romance… but then the thought crept into her mind of the euphoric sexual experience the twins described and wouldn’t leave.

As she shook her head to dismiss the thoughts, a tall, feathered figure emerged from the hallway and headed for the kitchen.

“Don’t mind me you guys, just passing through,” Gio smiled, nodding at the group of strangers in the living room. Lachesis turned to Leaf to inquire about the curious sight.

“Oh, you have a harpy staying here as well? Is that common for the program?”  
“No, actually… I have several homestays. I kind of enjoy it though, personally.”

As the twins watched Gio in the kitchen, they whispered to one another.  
_“She’s so_ **_tall_ ** _…”_ _  
_ _“Can she fly?”_

Lachesis, surprisingly enough, was the one to correct them, without even turning to look.  
“That happens to be a _male_ harpy, girls.” She cut her eyes to Sierra. “Quite rare, actually.” From the kitchen, Leaf saw Gio’s shoulders relax, losing their quickly-acquired tension. 

“A _male_ harpy?” As Gio crossed back through, Resurus rose from the couch and halted him with a hand to his flattened chest, her eyes scanning him for a moment.

“I’m not sure the prettyboy thing does it for me, but he’s in _great_ shape…” As she looked him over, her tongue flitted out. As Gio opened his mouth to accept the compliment he found himself abruptly flanked by Sistrurus, who had come to join her sister.

“Tell me, mother, do we _have_ to bring back a human? I think this boy could do nicely…”  
“Imagine the _offspring,_ wow…”

With a nervous laugh, Gio gently pushed them away. “Listen, I appreciate it, but uh… that part’s gonna be a little hard for me, y’know…” He looked to Leaf, silently pleading, but neither she nor Sierra knew what to do about the situation. His saving grace ended up coming yet again from Sierra’s mother.

“Only humans would produce viable offspring, girls. You should know that by now.” She beckoned the two back to the couch. “Besides, even if other species could, he doesn’t have the proper _equipment_ to give you offspring. Think for a moment.”

Resurus softly gasped as she looked Gio over. “I _thought_ there was something different about you… so interesting.”

“ _Resurus.”_ Sierra’s mother cut with a harsh, authoritative tone. _“Mind your tongue._ That’s incredibly rude, particularly with someone you don’t know.”

As the girl turned back to Gio her long, straight hair waved gently behind her. “I apologize,” she said, a guilty look on her face. “What I said was out of line, I meant nothing by it.”  
Gio raised a wing in a gesture that seemed to say ‘no problem’. He was doing his best to shrug off the uncomfortable situation.  
“It’s alright! I’ve heard far worse, but thanks.”

“Now, Leaf, how many homestays _do_ you have?” Lachesis’ eyes were intense with curiosity.  
Leaf turned to look at Sierra as she thought aloud. “Is it six now? ...Yes, six.”

 _“Six?…”_ Her brows lifted in surprise. “Sounds like an adventure. So much culture under one roof. Would you mind if we met them?”  
“Of course! Two of them are nocturnal, though, so it’d probably be best to wait a while until everyone is awake.”

* * *

Chelle stood in awe of the four serpentine women before her. They were all so _radiant,_ so _vivacious,_ so _sure of themselves._ Even though she had gotten so much better at being around others, she found herself so intimidated by the group that she stayed relatively silent. Fortunately, Corin spoke enough for the both of them.

“It’s so lovely to meet Miss Sierra’s family! My name is Corin, it’s a pleasure!”

As the mantid bowed politely, the three guests looked back and forth between each other with some amusement. Lachesis smiled at the name drop.

 _“Sierra,_ hm? Laemus, darling, are you _ashamed_ of your name?”

Truth be told, the trio was already aware of Sierra’s new name; in finding her through the exchange program and speaking to one of the administrative coordinators, there had been an initial confusion that was cleared up quickly. But Lachesis couldn’t resist needling her about it, particularly in front of her daughter’s host.

“Not ashamed. No reason to be. I just like Sierra more.”  
“Can I ask why?” Her mother almost looked hurt, but Sierra hardly gave a pause after the question.  
“Do we have to do this right now?”

Resurus put a hand on her mother’s back as the woman turned to Leaf. “I apologize if we seem brash. Old family habits die hard. Your home is lovely though, Leaf, I have to say.”

Leaf thanked her politely and shook her head. “It’s no trouble at all, you’re fine.” After a brief thought, she turned toward the ever-polite mantid.  
“Corin… you haven’t seen Dessa or Eilidh, have you? They should both be around by now…”  
“I believe Miss Dessa is in the bathhouse,” Corin said. Chelle confirmed the theory.  
“The both of them are, I’m pretty sure.”

“A bathhouse? Even lovelier than I thought,” Lachesis said, an almost amorous tone to her voice. “Would you mind if we make use of your facilities later, Leaf? I would assume it’s big enough for echidnas, given your role as a host.”

“Well, ‘bathhouse’ might be a bit of an overexaggeration… but that’s totally fine! Once they’re done I’ll make sure it’s all cleaned up and then you’re more than welcome.” Leaf said this with an air of pure hospitality, one that Sierra only saw when new homestays arrived. In fact, this time it _worried_ Sierra: her partner may have been underestimating her mother.

* * *

“Och… Too many guests fer my likin’. From what little Ah’ve overheard while ye slept, Sierra’s mum sounds right pompous. The lot of ‘em, really. It’s fine enough by me tae stay here, Ah dinnae want to deal with that sort’a thing.”

The minuscule naked girl sat in a shallow tupperware container that Leaf had rigged to hang over the side of the bath, just beneath typical water level. This way, as the bath filled, so would a place shallow enough for Eilidh to sit and relax in.  
A few feet away, Dessa sat with her knees against her chest, her wings wrapped around them.

“I wonder how long they’ll be here… do you think we can hide in here the whole time?” She groaned and looked quietly toward her friend. Since waking, Dessa had been hiding in the loft until the perfect opportunity to slip away to the bath. Not long after, the brownie followed her out of curiosity.

Eilidh leaned over the edge of her small ‘pool’, tilting her head in concern. “Are ye okay, hen? Ye’re really that feart tae go out there?”

Dessa shook her head. “I’m not _afraid._ I just… don’t like snakes… _I don’t like snakes…”_ As she spoke her voice quavered, and she pulled her knees tighter to her chest. It made Eilidh’s heart break.

“Oh, Dessa…”  
With a hop, Eilidh bounced up and into the main part of the bath, where she swam over and climbed up onto the girl’s knee.  
“Ah’m awful sorry. But ye ken Sierra and she’s okay, yea? Don’t ye mind what Ah said, Ah’m sure her family cannae be that bad either.”

The mop of white hair lifted, showing just a hint of the red iris behind it.  
“I don’t care. I don’t wanna go. I wanna stay here… _...why am I shaking?”_

Eilidh had started to notice it too, because of her size: Dessa’s body had begun trembling heavily, like a dog in a storm. Were the brownie standing, she probably would have fallen off of her perch already. With another hop forward, she slid off and into the few-inch gap of water between Dessa’s knees and chest. As she popped back up on the surface, she looked up at the gloomy eyes above her, treading water as she did so.

“There there, girlie. It’ll be okay. We can stay here if ye want, Ah got ye.”

Dessa dropped her legs flat and swept her large wings inward, pulling Eilidh against her sternum in an almost maternal hug. The brownie always seemed so caring and supportive, in a way that was almost unrivaled among the group.

“You’re the best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lachesis' appearance, as well as those of the twins, are similar to those of the echidnas seen in the _Monster Musume_ manga; the closest approximations shown [here](https://i.imgur.com/YtrIjRH.png) and [here](https://i.imgur.com/m4a2BJc.png). Someday I'd like to commission the photo of the four of them to be drawn, but we'll see.


	50. Hey! Thomson!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For chapter 50, we're taking a little detour to see what Thomson is up to in D.C.!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the endnotes for a personal message and some other fun stuff!

The building before the coordinator was tremendous; not _tall,_ but spanning out a shocking width to either side and, presumably, much farther back. She knew her meeting was supposed to be important, but she never anticipated a place quite like this.

After thanking her cab driver, Thomson made her way up the stairs, pulling her peacoat tight to her body to better block the wind.   
_Why does every government building need all these goddamn steps…  
_At the top she swapped from shades to her glasses, fixed her hair in the door’s reflection, and took a deep breath to ground herself before entering.

“Hi, I’m here for the conference about the LCF expansion?”  
The brunette at the desk smiled pleasantly as she pulled up a spreadsheet on her computer. She had to have been no more than twenty-one. _Good for you,_ Thomson thought to herself, _get those government benefits._

“Ohhhh _kay,_ name?  
“Aria Thomson.”

“Alright Ms. Thomson, can I see your ID please?”  
Thomson removed the lanyard from around her neck and handed it to the girl, who clicked a few times before scrolling for a moment.  
“T, T… T-H… Thomsonnnnn…” She glanced down at the ID, then to the screen, then back up to Thomson, passing the ID back.

“Alright, you’re good to go! Just take that hallway over there, and about five doors down on your right you should see Boardroom C.”

The coordinator slipped her lanyard back on and nodded with a smile. “Wonderful, thank you.”

* * *

Although she wasn’t particularly surprised, Thomson was still somewhat annoyed to be the only woman in the room. After mentally rolling her eyes, she nicked a Diet Coke from among the stocked-up refreshments to her left and took one of the open seats at the long oak table, across from those she knew to be holding the meeting.

After twenty uncomfortably silent minutes or so (during most of which Thomson played _Flip-Flap Monster_ on her phone), the meeting began. A man who appeared to be in his fifties stood at the far end, the lapel of his navy-blue suit adorned with a few gold pins. He cleared his throat and began speaking, addressing the group in a rather low and firm tone.

“First of all, I want to thank you all for coming. ...As you all know, the Interspecies Exchange Bill explicitly forbids violence against liminal subspecies. While there hasn’t been much issue with this since the bill’s inception, there _have_ unfortunately been outlier scenarios where, in rare cases, individual liminals take advantage of this and act outside the law. With human law enforcement being essentially powerless against more _severe_ misconduct, these isolated incidents have become a bit more common.

“You may also be aware that over the last several months the United States government has been running a pilot program for groups of liminals under employ to respond to these situations, with direction from a supervising human. It’s been designated the “LCF”, or “Liminal Counter-Force,” modeled off of the “M.O.N.” program in Japan. Thus far it’s been a resounding success, and because of this the government has decided to allocate money to form new branches of the program in various U.S. cities. _You’re_ all here because your superiors recommended you to lead a newly formed unit for the LCF. You won’t have to relocate, you’ll each be stationed in the metropolitan area nearest to you. In fact, most of you will still be working out of the same building as before, just a different department. Any questions so far?”

Thomson felt incredibly out of place. It was clear that most of the other coordinators had experience that would make them fitting to lead such a group. Hell, the guy beside her was _ex-military._ She considered herself confident and capable, yes, but this seemed more like a mistake than anything else. Nevertheless, she stayed silent and listened. She could address this later.

As the meeting dismissed, each coordinator was approached by one of the men on the other side of the table. Thomson happened to be paired with the man who led the conference, which was more daunting than she expected— she was mostly quiet as he led her out of the conference room and further down the hallway. _Now’s as good a time as any,_ she thought.

“So, if I may ask… why me? I mean, everyone else back there seemed to have more relevant backgrounds for this kinda thing. I was a _lawyer.”_

The man chuckled to himself. “A lawyer, sure, but the most highly-respected lawyer that the program’s got in its ranks. Hell, one of the most respected in the _entire southeast,_ at a minimum. The legal side is just as important with all this. You don’t have to be a tactician; in fact, we’ve accounted for that in the squad you’ll be working with. You may not feel like it, but I assure you you’re better for the job than anyone else in that room. You in?”

Again, Thomson was more confident than most she knew, so any confusion or apprehension she was initially saddled with was swept away with the man’s clarification.  
“Absolutely.”

“Wonderful.” They stopped before a door that seemed to lead to a simple employee break room. “Well, then. Ready to meet your team?”

* * *

Regardless how used to liminals one might be, walking into a room full of species you don’t expect can be a bit of a shock. Fortunately, Thomson considered herself a professional.

“Thank you all for waiting, ladies. This is Ms. Thomson. She’ll be the head of the Terminus outfit of LCF.”

The coordinator’s eyes swept across the room at the four girls before her. Even including Leaf’s house, it was rare to see a group this varied.

“So this is her, huh? Doesn’t look like much, if ya ask me.”  
The tan girl raised her eyebrows as she tilted herself back in her chair. Small wings fluttered on her back as if to help keep her balance; they weren’t particularly useful, however, as a long spindly leg pushed her chair back onto all fours.

“Don’t be crass, she’s basically your new boss. If you didn’t want to do this you shouldn’t have signed up.” The arachne turned to Thomson, a plain look across her face. “Forgive her. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Please stop arguing… it’s a bad look,” a rather small girl chimed in quietly.

“Ladies, that’s enough.” The man’s tone immediately set everyone to an attentive stance. “Now, Ms. Thomson. This is Lilli, a succubus…”

The tanned, nonchalant teen (who in reality was much, _much_ older— succubi and devils aged differently, after all) looked up, an almost hypnotic gleam shining from her golden, catlike eyes. Beneath her wavy bleach-blonde hair sprouted two curved indigo horns, pointing forward.  
Her outfit made her look even more out of place than her devilish features, however: her hoodie lay one-third unzipped, with no sign of any clothing beneath to conceal her body. Her lower half was graced by a small navy-blue skirt, like that of a schoolgirl.  
“What’s up?” As she flashed a smile, the gum in her mouth popped.

“Kyrie, an arachne of the long-legged subclass…”

“As I said, a pleasure.”  
Kyrie seemed to be all business. She didn’t emote particularly much, and her six crimson eyes focused intently on Thomson as she spoke. Her hair, a more natural-looking blonde than Lilli’s, was also as straight as an arrow, and her body was just as thin as her spider legs, with a white dress shirt and long black skirt dressing her fairly modestly.

“Mira, a minotaur…”

Mira gave a quiet nod. She had more or less been entirely silent since Thomson entered, to the point where she almost seemed invisible despite her size. The girl was about seven feet tall and as tan as the succubus near her, with thin fuzzy ears jutting out from the side of her head. These were dwarfed, of course, by the large beige horns that sprouted out above them, curving and pointing up and slightly forward. It was a wonder given her body type that she found clothes that fit: a tight pair of deep blue denim jeans and a black cotton tank-top that covered… well, as much as _possible_ of her more-than-ample chest.  
_Those things are as big as my head,_ Thomson thought to herself. _Poor girl._

“And Violetta, a monoeye.”  
“It’s very nice to meet you.”

A moment after making eye contact with Thomson, Violetta found herself looking away. The coordinator knew that monoeyes could sometimes be sensitive about their appearance, particularly around humans, and it seemed that this was no exception. She was by far the smallest of the group, measuring about five-foot-three.  
Thomson admitted to herself that the girl’s eye was actually pretty gorgeous: it was a light, fair lilac color with flecks of pink near the center, and peered out from beneath a loosely styled head of vivid jade hair. Like Kyrie, Violetta was dressed rather professionally, her petite figure covered by a pale yellow button-down beneath a seafoam cardigan.

  
  
_(Art for Lilli, Kyrie & Mira pulled from additional Monmusu media; Violetta's art created using 'Monster Girl Maker' app)_

  
“You’ll all be working together on relevant cases as they come in. Thomson, you’ll hear directly from local agencies and respond as need be, working in tandem. Kyrie is your logistics expert, so she can assist you on different courses of action, though you’ll have the final say.   
Unless there’s anything else, I’ll leave you all for the time being and you’ll receive details as everything else falls into place. Good day, ladies.”

* * *

On the flight back to Terminus, Thomson found herself flipping through the files of the four girls she would be working with. _Let’s see… Kyrie has already worked with law enforcement on several occasions… I’m not surprised that she’s impressive though._

She did find _one_ thing that took her by surprise, however: in the margins of the “additional notes” section was an written postscript denoting Kyrie’s top speed as roughly 54 miles per hour. Staring blankly at the writing, Thomson took out her phone and did a cursory websearch.

 _That’s… over twice as fast as any human…_  
The thought almost made her sweat. She turned through the next file. _Okay, Lilli. What’ve you got for me?_

Lilli’s experience was startling in comparison to her looks: although she wasn’t particularly capable in hand-to-hand combat, her dripping sexuality was enough to incapacitate most people if she cared to. She shined through in hostage situations in particular, with her ability to talk down almost anyone. 

Mira’s files also betrayed her quiet demeanor: the girl was strong. _Unbelievably_ strong. Hell, if she continued working at it she could rival the strength of an ogre with ease. And Violetta, who seemed tiny and timid, displayed impressive intelligence, scoring high in most testing she had been put through. In addition, her emerald eye could see well over a mile away, making her perfect for scouting or reconnaissance. She’d be a perfect pairing with Kyrie.

_And, well. I definitely know the legal system, which should help avoid any potential mishaps..._

_Huh. Maybe we’re onto something here,_ she thought as she leaned back for a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dunk, it's a Thomson name drop! For what it's worth, I didn't plan her first name out until writing this chapter itself. Anyway, read below for a little message! 💙  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
>   
> Fifty fucking chapters, WOW. I haven't written anything that's gone past 10; this is actually my first 'original content' fic on here, and I wanna take a second to thank y'all so much for reading! This started as something that I just wanted to have a little fun with and now I'm so genuinely in love with all of the characters and their lives. I'll even admit there's a few parts that, while writing, I genuinely teared up with. And really, almost every time I get a comment notification I check it immediately, because it means a lot that you enjoy it and that some of these characters seem to mean a lot to you too.  
> I also want to give a huge thanks and shoutout to [Natron77](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natron77/pseuds/Natron77), as their [Monster Yurisume](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6372295) series hugely inspired me to try my own hand at creating a queer monster-girl experience. I still think of those characters on a regular basis.  
>   
> I wanted to write a story with a trans lead that was accessible to everyone. And what I mean by that is it's not something that the reader has to have any real knowledge of beforehand, and it's not central to the story that Leaf is trans; it's just the reason that she, like the others, feels like an outsider. _That's_ what the story is about. Everyone's felt alone or 'othered', and there's countless ways that one can. I'm sure there are probably several people who started reading and then ditched out when it got to the 'reveal' of Leaf's gender identity, which is a shame. In any case, thank you again for sticking with me. 💙  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
>   
> I've been looking for a time or place to share some side thoughts or tidbits, and I guess the end notes of chapter 50 seems as good a place as any, right? So, here's a few behind-the-scenes notes!  
>   
>  • When we first meet Sierra, she has an off-thought about how Leaf "probably expected a centaur; she looks like a centaur kind of girl"— this is a cheapshot at the fact that Leaf's appearance makes her look like a stereotypical blonde-haired blue-eyed 'horse girl'. If there's any horse girls reading this, just know I love y'all.
> 
> • Gio was originally planned to be a raptor harpy, but as most of the gang are 'unconventional', I thought a flightless bird would work better, and eventually gave the winged role to Dessa.
> 
> • It probably seems like Chelle was meant to be a parallel to _Monmusu's_ Rachnera, as they're both arachnid liminals, but the truth of it is that she actually came up as an alternative to having a centaur!
> 
> • A lot of the story has honestly written itself— there are many times where I have no idea where a situation is going to go, or how a character will respond to things, or even what their character arc and growth will be. I just kind of let it happen, and I think it's made our cast feel a lot more natural.
> 
> • A comment once asked if any of the characters were meant to be expies of the original _Monmusu_ cast. The answer is no, actually, until this exact chapter: Violetta is of course very similar to Manako (as well as Memé, from _Monster Girl Doctor_ ), but it's mostly because I think it's a character archetype that works great in almost any situation, especially with something like the group Thomson now works with. She was almost going to be another species entirely, but I needed the character to have good enough eyesight for recon and the like, so I stuck with a monoeye. The other is Mira who, if you've read farther ahead into the _Monmusu_ manga, is pretty entirely modeled after Cara, a minotaur whom I absolutely fell in love with and that I wish got more to do. Since they're not main homestay cast, I'm more than fine admitting that they're expies lol.
> 
> • I deliberated on a lot of things with Eilidh— mainly how severely to have her accent 'written'. It's something I love seeing done in text but that I know also can feel like a slog and hard to read for some people. In the end, I kept a fair bit of it in but toned it down here or there. I definitely keep an 'Eilidh Dictionary' in my notes to try and keep consistency.
> 
> • Lastly, I think that chapters 44-45 mark a bit of a character milestone in a subtle but big way: the "blood pop" scene is one of the first times we really see Chelle's true personality return and shine through in her efforts to reclaim herself.  
> 
> 
> * * *
> 
>   
> Anyway thank you again, you're all so very lovely. I have no actual idea how long the full story will end up being; in my mind it's more like an episodic comic or anime series than a 'novel', as slice-of-life tends to be, so... time will tell. 🥰💙


	51. Fight or Flight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaf spends more time around Sierra's family. Sierra's unease grows.

_“Why don’t you join us, Leaf? It’d be lovely to get to know each other better.”_

Leaf had no idea how she got pulled into this. Well, no, she had _some_ idea: Sierra’s siblings were even more blunt and assertive than their younger sister, with the addition that they weaponized their sexuality _far_ more readily than her as well. As a result, the convincing serpentine twins wouldn’t take no for an answer; as they left, Sierra shot a glare to Leaf, silently warning her to be _extremely_ careful. Now Leaf stood awkwardly in the doorway of the bathhouse as the sisters disrobed.

“Come on, Leaf, don’t be shy… we’re all girls here, it’s nothing any of us haven’t seen.”  
“Yeah, come on! Let’s relax our muscles together.”

Leaf took a deep breath. She’d had to explain it enough times in the past several months that it had almost become rote… and besides, it was _her_ house. If it went poorly she had the right to kick them out. She didn’t _think_ that would be the case, but if it came down to it, well, she would do what she had to.   
Though, perhaps she didn’t think it through quite enough.

“Listen, let’s just go ahead and get this out of the way: I’m not super comfortable with nudity around strangers, because my body is, ah… different than most girls.”   
The end of the sentence had been said a thousand times by her; with strangers it felt far more uncomfortable to use the big “T” word, even if it had been part of her identity for years. It just seemed so… _clinical._

“You mean like the harpy boy?” Resurus inquired curiously. Leaf nodded.  
“Yeah, but… backwards.” She motioned her fingers in small half-circles, hoping they fully understood.

The twins simultaneously gave an earnest smile.  
“It’s fine! Not as though we’re _unaccustomed_ to those parts anyway…”  
“Let’s just have a nice, warm bath!”

 _Sure, a nice warm bath,_ Leaf thought. She wasn’t sure _she_ was going to be able to relax: the two of them had equally impressive bodies as Sierra’s, though more on the slim side than toned. Leaf tried her best not to stare, and hesitantly she disrobed to join them.

“Mm, this is _heavenly…_ ” Sistrurus sighed. Neither she nor her sister had enjoyed the pleasure of a hot bath in quite a while. “You certainly know how to treat your guests.”

As Leaf thanked her, Resurus moaned in contented agreement.

“It really is lovely… Leaf, may I ask you something?”  
She spoke without opening her eyes, so as not to lessen her enjoyment of her situation. 

“Mm? Sure, what’s up?”  
“Forgive me if it’s too forward,” Resurus began, “but I was wondering if our sister knows about your… situation.”

“She does, yeah.” Leaf leaned her head back, closing her eyes as well. She was a bit surprised— not at the question itself, she had been asked that by several others as well— but by the fact that the twins seemed to be far more polite than when they first arrived. _Guess they’ve settled in, a little bit. Or maybe they just get on edge around Sierra. Siblings can be like that…_ Hell, if anything, Leaf’s relationship with her sister was more strained before she came out.  
“All of the others here do, actually. We’ve made it a pretty welcoming environment, here.”

“That’s so wonderful…”  
There was a gentle _splish,_ and Resurus’ voice was suddenly much closer.  
“I must admit, I’m curious as to how this impacts your sexual appetite… is your sense of desire more in line with men or women? Do you find yourself to be a more _assertive_ or _passive_ participant?”

Leaf opened her mouth but no words came out. The question was awkward… but tragically, far from the most awkward thing Leaf had been asked. No, that status was reserved for strangers who inquired freely about what lay between her legs. The situation grew more uncomfortable as Leaf opened her eyes to find Resurus a mere two or so feet away from her, with Sistrurus drawing closer as well.

“I’d imagine you’ve got a much more delicate, feminine energy than even your sweet looks suggest,” the second twin theorized as she placed a hand on Leaf’s own.  
“If it’s all the same to you, I would _love_ to find out…” Her tongue flitted playfully.

Leaf was already a bit flushed from the heat of the bath, but now her face was even redder.   
“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea…” she stammered, trying to draw her hand away. Resurus pressed up against her left shoulder, her soft and perky breasts straddling Leaf’s bicep. 

“Why not? We’re not in the program, you could honestly have your way with us and not a soul would have to know…”  
“Do you not find us attractive, Leaf? That’s a pity, you’re so very beautiful, I’m dying to know what you’re like…”

Resurus’ hand rubbed gently along the human’s thigh, causing her to shudder. _I gotta get the fuck out of here… Sierra’s going to kill me. Or them. Hopefully them..._   
As her mind raced, one of the twins noticed a particular ‘development’ arising from their playfulness and decided to bring attention to it.

“Look, Rezzie… I think she _likes it.”  
_ “Oh, wow…” There was a quiet, giggling gasp. “Look at this, such a _pretty little thing…”_

Resurus’ teeth nibbled gently on Leaf’s earlobe. Shivers shot down the girl’s spine and the development grew further as gentle claws crept to her inner thigh.

_“Gods, you should come home with us, Leaf… We can give you a sample of what it’d be like, if you want…”_

Out of nowhere a knock came on the bathroom door, the voice of Eilidh calling out from the other side. Somehow, that tiny girl could knock as loudly as she spoke.

“Leaf? Sierra asked if ye could join in the livin’ room tae keep her mum fae sittin’ solo fae too long. She had tae go have a blether with Dessa about somethin’. Is that somethin’ ye can do?”

With sudden newfound adrenaline, Leaf pulled free from the twins and began scrambling out of the bath. Behind her the girls pouted, their tails swishing gently in the water.  
“Yes Eilidh, thank you, I’ll be right out!”

_Thank you more than you know…_

* * *

“Mm, I haven’t felt that relaxed in _ages,”_ Sistrurus sighed as she and her sister entered the living area.   
“It really was amazing. I’m offended Laemus didn’t want to join us, though. We _are_ her family.”

“I’m sure she has her reasons,” Lachesis noted, sipping from a glass of wine that Leaf had brought her. Truth be told, Sierra wished to avoid her family for the whole weekend, and struggled with the notion of leaving _any_ of them alone with Leaf. She cursed herself for not being more assertive with her sisters about the bath. After this quick aside of checking on Dessa, she decided she would return to the others and stay by Leaf’s side as long as her family was present.

Sierra couldn’t fathom what was so important that their resident bat— who hadn’t been around all evening— needed to speak with her alone. But unfortunately, Sierra had begun to feel protective of the house’s smaller liminals, and so she felt obligated to listen.

“Okay kid, hit me. What’s got you all worked up?”

Dessa was clearly antsy; in fact, being alone with Sierra still intimidated her a bit as it almost never happened, and it didn’t take long for Sierra to catch on to that fact.

“Dessa, listen.” She sighed and took a moment to reposition herself, lowering down and laying on her stomach in an effort to relieve tension in the room by making herself appear smaller. “I’m not gonna be mad, whatever it is.”

On the shoulder of the petite girl was Eilidh, who patted her gently to encourage her. Dessa took a deep but shaky breath.

“I know Leaf wants us to be nice, but, I don’t… wanna go out there, and meet them… do I have to? I know everyone else did…”

Sierra, who had been more or less channeling Leaf to seem more approachable to the girl, was puzzled.   
“Is that all? I mean, yeah they suck, I don’t wanna deal with them either, but… is it that bad?”

As she trembled, Dessa swallowed hard. “I just… I d-don’t… I don’t like…” With a heavy sigh, Eilidh looked up to the echidna and finished for her.

“Poor girl’s feart tae death of snakes,” she explained. “She’s a wee bit more used tae _you,_ but it’s really messin’ with her.”

Although she felt bad, Sierra couldn’t blame her. Frankly, she didn’t come across others that triggered her own fight-or-flight response too often, but for someone smaller… well, it must be terrifying at times, right? She lifted herself upright and held out a claw.

“C’mon, kid. I’ll go with you and hold your hand. They’re not gonna hurt you. And if they try, I’ll kill ‘em.” She thought again for a moment of what Leaf would say to console her— the human was good like that— before begrudgingly adding on: “You’re more family than they are, anyway.”

* * *

“Laemus, there you are! Your sister was about to pour us some more wine, would you like to join us?” Lachesis’ eyes trailed down to the small bat beside her daughter.  
“Oh— who’s your friend? Another homestay?”

Leaf gave a relieved smile to the pair as they entered. Ignoring the question, Sierra glanced to the kitchen where Resurus was opening a bottle of wine, then to her mother, then down to Dessa as she began motioning to each.

“Dessa, these are my folks. My mom, and my sisters.”

As Lachesis flashed a kind, fanged smile, Dessa’s blood ran cold.   
“Dessa? Lovely. It’s nice to meet you.” 

Sierra felt the grip tighten on her claw. It seemed, though, that her mother had nothing further to say to the girl after the quick hello.  
As the pair made their way to the couch and settled in beside Leaf, Lachesis revived a concern about her youngest daughter.

“So, Laemus, you never told me… any men to speak of out here?”

“I mean, there’s _men,_ obviously.” Sierra looked at her mother plainly, as though she were responding to an idiotic question. “But I’m perfectly content.”   
Lachesis hummed in dissatisfaction at the response. As Resurus entered from the kitchen, she called out to Leaf. 

“Oh! That reminds me…” She leaned over her shoulder and handed her a glass of wine. “Thank you _so much_ for hosting us, Leaf, you’re so darling…”   
Leaf blushed deeply as she felt Resurus’ hands slide delicately over her shoulders to her collarbone, dangerously close to her chest. The echidna hadn’t had enough of teasing her in the bath, it was far too fun. She wanted more.

“If I can repay you, let me know. I’ll do _anything,”_ she professed.   
A second pair of hands ran along Leaf’s right arm as Sistrurus whispered to her.  
 _“We both will… heehee!”_

Without hesitation Sierra leapt up from the couch, her hand tugging free of Dessa’s claw. “Hey, what the _hell?! Hands off!”_

The twins giggled as they whispered lustfully in Leaf’s ears; upon being interrupted, Sistrurus shot a piercing glance to her younger sister.

“Don’t be such a _spoilsport…_ Just ‘cause _you_ can’t play with humans doesn’t mean _we_ can’t…”   
Resurus continued for her.   
“Isn’t that _right,_ Leaf?…”

Lachesis seemed perfectly content to watch this unfold, smiling as though she was proud of her girls. Sierra looked back and forth between the two incredulously… before diving in and attempting to separate them by force.

What happened next was immediate and loud. Both the twins hissed at their sister, causing Leaf to flinch in their grip. Sierra grabbed at the both of them with a furious yell and pulled them away; Lachesis rose from her seat, chiding all three girls harshly. And Dessa, poor Dessa, had scrambled back against the wall and was whimpering quietly.

 _“Get the fuck off of her!”_ Sierra roared, pulling the pair to the ground and staring down at them. While Sistrurus fretted over her now-messy hair, her sister stared daggers at Sierra.

“Why do you care so much? Let us have a little fun on vacation. We’d let _you_ do the same.” There was contempt in her voice, but Sierra was having none of it.

“Because she’s my fucking girlfriend. _Hands off.”_

The room grew silent, and Lachesis took a deep breath.  
“I see. ...Girls. Sit down and behave.”

* * *

“So you found someone after all, just not a man.”

Sierra nodded quietly as she held Dessa tight in her lap, rubbing her arm and trying to quell her shaking. She was angry, but couldn’t help feel a twinge of guilt after having said she’d protect the small girl. She’d… let her down.

“Yeah. And it doesn’t matter if she’s my host. It is what it is.”

After a moment of deliberation, a warm smile grew on her mother’s face. “Well, why don’t the two of you come back with us?” 

Sierra scoffed at the proposal.  
“She can’t just up and leave. She’s got other homestays. And a family of her own.”  
To Leaf, that statement was a bit redundant. She took a deep breath, addressing Lachesis politely despite her current anxiety over everything that just happened. 

“Sierra’s right. I mean in the long run, sure, I’d follow her anywhere. But right now… this is home. And I’m pretty happy with it. So I’m afraid I’d have to decline.”  
  
The unexpected sentiment made her partner blush.  
... _Follow me anywhere?..._

“Well,” Lachesis sighed, cutting the negotiation short, “I had to ask, of course. We _miss_ you, Laemus. Sistrurus, will you get us some more wine?” She tapped her nail on her glass, causing a hollow chime, and her daughter rose to oblige.

“Speaking of, I have to ask… What’s with ‘Sierra’, hm? You don’t like your name?”

Leaf glanced quietly at the echidna beside her. She had wanted to ask something similar, though obviously in a less condescending manner, but figured it wasn’t her place and that the right time would eventually come.

“It… reminds me of Aunty. She told me once that if she had a daughter she would’ve named her that. And I like it.”

A fresh glass was brought out to Leaf, Sierra and Lachesis, the latter raising hers in a toast despite looking less than thrilled.  
“Oh, Azema… Gods rest her. Well, I suppose not every child can stay at home forever.” She drank, and the others followed suit; after the lengthy sip, she posed another question to her daughter’s host.

“Do you want children, Leaf? Sorry, that may be personal, but I’m a bit curious.”  
Sierra started to object, but Leaf placed a hand on her arm as if to say it was fine.

“I don’t really think it’s in the cards for me. Stuff like that gets complicated… money and all that especially.” 

Lachesis waved a hand in dismissal.  
“If you feel like _money_ is a problem… well, again, if you’re a partner of Laemus’ I’d say you’re more than welcome to stay with us. Serpentine society is far more communal than that of humans, so you’d be well taken care of. And besides, maybe you’d end up liking the tribe husband enough to have a child of your own from _him,_ no need to find a donor.” She smiled, and as she said this Sierra’s sisters looked at one another with a giggle.

Leaf choked for a moment on her drink, coughing briefly before she could bring herself to respond.

“Sorry, I…” She coughed once more. “That took me off guard. Wow.”   
Sierra sat beside her silently, committing herself to not responding impulsively—she had said enough when she exposed that the pair was dating. Despite this, her face felt hot at the mention of children. She took a quiet breath and gave Dessa a gentle squeeze.

Maybe the wine had loosened her tongue, or maybe she had just grown a bit more comfortable in speaking about herself, but Leaf responded honestly to the offer, using the same phrasing Lachesis had earlier when it came to Gio. “I actually, ah… don’t really have the right equipment for that… actually.” She blushed, as did Sierra, who had never heard her be so forward about that kind of thing. As Lachesis raised an eyebrow, the twins giggled once more.

“Oh, is that so? Fascinating… In that case, maybe you’d be even more welcome back home than anticipated.”

Leaf stood immediately, her face flushed with immense heat. She thought of Corin’s words back on the night of the full moon, when the pair were naked together in the bath.  
 _‘I’ve known some human cultures to revere people like that, in fact. ...There are even goddesses like you, Miss Leaf!_ _’_  
She then thought of how wonderfully Sierra loved her body. And then of the intense, passionate sexual pit her sisters had mentioned participating in. Her entire body felt hot and tingly, and her head swirled.

“I’m, uhm… gonna turn on the A/C… it’s a bit hot…”

Leaf began to make her way around the sectional and toward the thermostat in the front hallway. Halfway there, she collapsed onto the ground.

And Lachesis smiled.


	52. The Naga and the Hydra

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lachesis attempts to exert further control over her daughter. The others try to help Leaf regain consciousness.

_Lurking in the shadows, nurtured in the dark  
_ _Rise above the surface to eliminate the spark  
_ _Wild like a daydream soon to be erased  
_ _Searching for the moment to evacuate the race  
_ _Nesting in the thorn bush, blowing in the breeze  
_ _Calculate the pattern that is causing my disease  
_ _Child of the desert  
_ _Never had a name  
_ _No one here will ever be the same_

-Anthony Green

~~~

_“Leaf?!… LEAF!!”_

Sierra practically lunged to Leaf’s body, shouting to Dessa to go get the others. The sudden noise drew Corin from her nearby room, who immediately dropped to her host’s side in panic, trying to stir her awake. With the additional help, Sierra turned Leaf onto her back and felt for a pulse before opening her eye to check for dilation. She was alive, a thank gods, just unconscious. A few meters away on the sectional, Lachesis sighed in frustration.

“Don’t be difficult, Laemus. You know echidnas aren’t part of the exchange program for a reason. It’s a _disgrace._ I’m giving you a gracious offer to come back _and_ to bring your partner with you, to live a peaceful life. That’s far more than I was going to give when we first arrived.”

The others spilled in from the hallway; as soon as he saw the scene Gio rushed over and knelt down, doing his best to maintain his composure. Chelle stood in the hall’s entryway, her mouth covered in terrified panic, while a shaken Eilidh tried to calm her.

“What the _fuck is wrong with you?!”_  
Sierra whipped around to face her mother as the other two tended to Leaf. Lachesis was unfazed.

“It’s just a little bit of venom, don’t be so _dramatic._ If she gets an antidote soon enough, she’ll be fine. I figure she should be out for about an hour… but when she wakes up, she’ll be in horrible pain.”   
For a moment, the look on Lachesis’ face softened, and she almost seemed to be genuinely pleading with her daughter.  
“Come _back,_ Laemus. Come back with us, live normally, and I’ll help her. It’s that easy.”

Sierra’s head jerked from her mother to her partner, trying to keep from bursting into rage-filled tears at the limp human on the ground. Closing her eyes, she took a deep, growling breath.

“...Fine. I’ll go…”

* * *

In the following minutes, Gio and Corin carefully moved Leaf to the kitchen table, propping her head and monitoring her carefully. Chelle, once the others had suitably calmed her down, began looking for any further symptoms that she might recognize due to being venomous herself.

Sierra, on the other hand, was quietly sitting across from her mother in the living area, seething in angry resignation. As the minutes passed, she grew more and more terrified for Leaf.

“I’ve alerted our ride, so they should be here in about twenty minutes,” Lachesis informed her daughter calmly. “We’ll leave for home sometime tomorrow, but I’d like the both of you to stay with _us_ tonight so that you don’t get any ideas. We can always send someone to get your things.”

Sierra couldn’t find a single word. She stared at the ground, tears having finally broken free to run quietly down her face. Even responding felt so very impossible in the moment..

“I know you’re upset, Laemus, but this is for the best. Our tribe doesn’t _do_ these sorts of things, the lamias are much better suited to it. It’s sad, really… they have no pride whatsoever.”

In the kitchen, a soft moan rattled in Leaf’s throat. Startled, Chelle checked the girl’s pulse again, before speaking directly into her ear.  
“Leaf… Leaf? Can you hear me? Please…”

The quiet sound rose up again. This time, Corin leaned in, patting Leaf’s cheek gently as she sniffled. “Miss Leaf, we’re here… please, wake up…”

“You’re a monster, you know that, right?”   
Sierra couldn’t bring herself to make eye contact with the woman across from her anymore. Devoid of empathy, Lachesis tutted.  
“I’m a mother who is concerned for her daughter and the wellbeing of her tribe. That’s all.” The twins kept quiet to the side, letting their mother lead at this point.

“You’ve never been concerned about me a day in your life. You and I both know it.”

As Sierra looked back up, Lachesis’ gold eyes met her red, looking rather stern.  
“That’s simply not true,” she said. Sierra immediately cut her off.

“Of course it is. Aunty Azema is the only one who saw me as a proper echidna. As someone worth caring for. You didn’t give a damn about anyone but the twins, and neither did anyone else. They were your gold standard… I was just your red-eyed disappointment. You practically pretended I didn’t exist! And… _augh…”_

There was a panicked gasp from the kitchen, followed by immediate commotion from the homestays.  
“Leaf! Oh my god, Leaf!”

Slowly, their host half-opened her eyes. Things were too blurry to make out who was who, but her brain slowly pieced together that the red-and-black hovering to her left might have been Chelle, and the pink-and-white was most likely Corin.  
“H...hey… C..orin?...”

Sierra rose with such speed that her tail whipped the ottoman beneath her onto its side as she darted into the kitchen. With all the commotion, it took both Lachesis and the twins a moment to understand what was happening.

“Leaf! Oh my gods, are you okay? Can you hear me?!”  
As Leaf groaned, she saw beige-and-red swing into view, slowly but surely coming into focus.

“..Sierra?... Why’re you ..crying?”  
The echidna held her partner’s face in her hands, trying to think straight.  
“Are you hurt?? Do you feel anything?”  
Chelle followed up with a request: “Leaf, flex your fingers for me, okay?”

Leaf gently tilted her head back and forth, squeezing her fingers and toes as she did so. “No… I think I’m fine…” She seemed to be growing more aware and alert by the moment. If she weren’t, the nearly tackling hug by her partner would have sealed the deal.

“Whoaaa, Sierra… what happened?”  
“It worked… oh my gods, _it fucking worked,_ I can’t believe it…”

Several meters away, Lachesis stared at the scene that had unfolded before her. Without turning away, she quietly scolded her daughter.  
“Sistrurus. You used the full vial?”  
The daughter nodded nervously. “Yes ma’am… She should’ve been out for at _least_ an hour… that’s always been the case.”

The group helped Leaf sit upright, holding her to make sure she could stay up on her own. After a little effort, she made the effort to stand. She seemed mostly fine, if not a bit dizzy. Sierra’s eyes cut holes into her family.

“You need to leave. Now.”

Lachesis growled at her daughter.  
“Laemus, don’t be hasty. I told you, we’re just thinking of the good of the tribe—”  
“You’re a terrible liar, and you’re not welcome here. Leave.”

“Sierra, what’s going on? Why are you threatening them?...”  
Leaf’s voice and touch took her entirely by surprise. She faltered for a second before turning back to her family, keeping a cautious eye through her response.  
“You passed out because she poisoned you. She tried to use you as leverage. Said she’d give me the antidote if I returned home.”

Leaf’s brain was still working its way back to normal speed; she felt a bit nauseous and had a pulsing headache, but otherwise everything else seemed okay.  
“But I’m okay now… Sierra, you _didn’t_ —”

“Right. It _should_ still be affecting you,” Lachesis spat. “My daughter must have screwed something up.” Behind her, the twins flinched.

“Sistrurus did fine,” Sierra replied, “I just… got lucky.” She glanced at Leaf, a look of slight guilt on her face. “Everything’s fine and we’re not going anywhere.”

As she drew another breath, she spoke more firmly. “Mother. ...or, Lachesis. ...If I was your daughter before… there’s no way in hell I am now. So I’m going to tell you again. Leave and forget I exist. It’s what you’re good at, anyway.”

Knowing better by this point than to initiate a fight, Lachesis held up a hand.  
“Resurus. Sistrurus. We’re leaving.”  
“But m—”  
“You heard me. Laemus will have to fend for her own.” She turned to Sierra for a final word.  
“But listen to me: you’re not welcome back, ever. And I’ll make sure _everyone_ knows it.”

“It’s Sierra. And as far as anyone is concerned… Azema was my mother. More of one than you, at least. You lost any right to that title the second you threatened Leaf.”

With a sigh and nothing further to say, Lachesis turned and headed to the front door, her daughters in tow.

As soon as the door shut, all of the homestays clamored around Leaf, bustling with worry.  
_“Miss Leaf, are you okay?!”  
“I was so worried, Leaf…”  
“Ouh, thank God ye’re okay!”_

“I’m… fine.”  
She settled into the group hug that now refused to let up. “Thank you so much. ...I think maybe I should lie down. Sierra…?”

As she turned back to where Sierra once stood, Leaf heard the front door open and close once more.

* * *

“Hey, listen.”

The twins, holding the rear doors of the truck, turned around to find Sierra standing in the gravel drive nearby. Lachesis descended from inside and crossed her arms.

“Haven’t you had enough?”

Sierra took a deep breath.  
“Look, I’m… not going to apologize. For anything I said. But, full honesty?… You were a lousy fucking parent to me. There’s a reason why I spent more time with Aunty, and why I left without telling you. If you treated me remotely equally to the twins, maybe I would’ve stayed. But… Leaf is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I’m happy here. This is my home. My family. And even if, after everything you did, you were at least willing to respect _that…_ well, then maybe I’d have been willing to keep you around.”

Lachesis stared, her expression unamused and unchanging. “What is your point with all this, Laemus?”

“I guess,” Sierra heaved a sigh, giving a half-hearted shrug, “I wanted you to know that you could’ve had me as part of a normal family, if you acted like you wanted it. If you acted like I was… worthy of love.”

They stood there in the night for a long, cold, painfully silent moment. Then Lachesis closed her eyes with a sigh, dropping her arms to her sides once more, and slid nearer to Sierra.  
“You’re such a brat…” she mumbled with a chuckle.

The growl that left her lips betrayed her, as her daughter caught the sound of it a split second before Lachesis took a wild, clawed swing at her. Sheerly by instinct, Sierra jerked back and countered with a swipe of her own. As she swung, she was silently thankful that Leaf was inside— this way, she wouldn’t have to see such a… shamefully primal display.

Resurus and Sistrurus flew to their mother’s side as she reeled backwards, clutching her face. As Sierra tried to calm her breathing, she felt something warm and wet on her hand, then noticed the dark blood slowly trickling between Lachesis’ fingers. Mumbling something to her daughters, Lachesis winced and lowered her hands, displaying four deep gashes of varying length across her face.  
_“You little monster…”_

Sierra gripped her now-bloodied claw into a fist, tight enough that she felt she might draw blood from her own palm. “Leave before it gets worse.” Her voice shook violently. “...Maybe if those are deep enough, then for once in your life you won’t forget about me.”

  
The van pulled out of Leaf’s drive with the youngest daughter staring after it. As it left, she felt her boiling rage began to gradually change form. She whimpered quietly; a moment later, as the sound of the engine and crunching gravel faded into the night, she collapsed to the ground in a heap and began wailing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sierra is going through it, right now... but rest assured, things are about to get a lot more fun for her and everyone else.
> 
> Anyway, here’s to the “disappointments” and those who have ever felt unloved by family. To those who have wanted to fight back (whether physically or not) with their parents but can’t because real life is more complicated than that. Y’all are worth the love you were deprived of.


	53. Holiday From Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sierra needs some time to recover, and Leaf helps her find just the right way to do so.

Despite Sierra’s best intentions, Leaf had indeed seen what occurred outside, as had been worriedly observing through the front windows. After seeing Sierra collapse to the ground she burst out the door as fast as possible, trying her best to run through spinning dizziness, until the echidna was in her arms.

_ “I’m here… Sierra, I’m here…” _

The others watched with quiet concern from inside as Leaf lay on the ground beside Sierra, running a hand through her hair and trying her best to soothe her. After an eternally long five minutes or so, the couple stood and slowly made their way inside.

“Miss Leaf…”  
Corin trailed off as Gio set a claw on her arm. They clearly needed a moment, if not the rest of the night, and as the largest (and potentially most mature, depending on who you were asking) of the remaining homestays, he would make sure they had their privacy. Holding Sierra from the side, Leaf guided her to their room where they could lay together.

* * *

“I’m sorry… Leaf, I’m so sorry…”  
Leaf shushed the echidna and shook her head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. You really don’t.”

“I… should have told you. And I’m sorry you had to see me like that… And…”  
She was silenced by Leaf’s lips pressing against her own, and even though she was still choking on sobs, Sierra found it to be what she needed. Nothing more, nothing heavier, just that.

They lay silent for several minutes, Leaf holding Sierra’s head against her chest and gently shushing her, until Sierra’s hysterics calmed down once more. Eventually Leaf responded, inquiring in an almost maternal whisper as she stroked her hair.

“What did you mean to tell me?...”

She couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous when Sierra took a long, slow breath. As she began to speak, her words were quiet, almost lifeless.  
“The venom was supposed to keep you out longer… an hour at least. And… it would be excruciatingly painful.”

Leaf quietly nodded in understanding. “But you got the antidote, right?”  
“… … …Not really…”

Sierra swallowed, feeling unusually burdened by the words, and confessed. “Not long after I began staying with you, I… started putting microdoses of my venom in your food.”

Leaf was bewildered, to say the least. Unsure how to respond, she let Sierra continue.  
“Just tiny, trace amounts… so that over time you’d build up an immunity. ...You’re the first person that really cared about me in a long time, and I didn’t want anything bad to happen to you. I didn’t want…” She paused, the mere thought of her next words scaring her.   
“I didn’t want to risk hurting you by accident, ever. The thought kept me up at night.”

Over the course of the explanation, the expression on Leaf’s face shifted from confusion to soft concern.  
“Sierra…”  
“I just increased the potency little by little and it seemed to be working just fine. It had been long enough that I figured it had just been a pointless precaution I took out of anxiety, and then _ this  _ happened and—”

Leaf kissed her, to quell the echidna's nerves.   
“...And you protected me. And that’s what happened outside, too: you protected yourself, and me.” She kissed her again. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, babe…”

Sierra nodded and sniffled, nuzzling into Leaf— her own protector, at least emotionally. She was content to let the world go by just like this, to stay in this spot forever. The next time she spoke was nearly ten minutes later, at a low whisper as she was nearly asleep.

“Leaf?... I wanna go away, for a little while. ...Just… disappear. Can Thomson do that?....”

The idea seemed impulsive, if not explicitly dangerous: it had been an intense day and it was entirely possible Sierra would do something she regretted. Leaf’s stomach flipped at the thought, but she pressed for more detail.  
“...Alone? Or...?”

There was a brief silence, just long enough for Leaf to worry.

“...Can you come with me?...”

The human gave a mental sigh of relief. The notion of Sierra ‘disappearing’ suddenly felt less like an impulsive whim and more like a healing getaway. She nodded.  
“Of course. I’ll call Thomson first thing in the morning, okay? Let’s just get some sleep for now. You need it…”

* * *

“You’re leaving?”

The others stared at Leaf and Sierra in surprise as the former elaborated.

“I know it’s sudden, but it’s just for a few days. Sierra needs to get away for a little bit after having to deal with family, so she and I are gonna take a little trip and come back on Thursday afternoon. I’ll go grocery shopping later tonight to make sure y’all are good, so if you need anything, write it on the pad in the kitchen before six. Sound good?”

It had taken a bit more effort than usual to get hold of Thomson, but she was happy to point Leaf in the direction of a resort and spa that catered to both humans and liminals alike. It was in an adjacent state, but fortunately the drive was only four hours or so which Leaf found entirely doable. The one thing that _did_ worry her, however, was the fact that while she was on the phone with Thomson she could hear a continuous series of loud shots in the background.

“Hey uh… what the hell is going on there? Is that  _ gunfire?” _

Thomson brushed it off as if it was no big deal. “Oh, yeah, I’m uh… doing a little target practice with some new coworkers.”

_ “Target practice?  _ Thomson, have you even  _ held  _ a gun?”  
“Of course I have! My dad likes to hunt. I’m not really fond of it myself, but… there’s a few new aspects to my job I need to work on, so here we are.”

The banging in the background reverberated as she spoke, suddenly coming to a stop as a youthful, feminine voice— with an affectation not unlike that of a valley girl— called out in the background.

_ “Yo Thommy, who’re you talking to? Are they cute? Show me a pic!”  
_ Leaf could tell by her next words that whoever the person was ( _ was it really a coworker? She sounded like a teen! _ ) had Thomson flustered.

“I uh, I gotta go. I’ll text you the details of the place, yeah? Bye!”

Leaf was a bit hesitant to leave the cabin in the hands of her homestays; It’s not that she didn’t  _ trust  _ them, but well… sometimes, some of them could be a handful. She pulled Gio and Corin aside and told them they were essentially in charge over the next few nights, which she figured would make things a little smoother as they’d been there the longest and consequently were much more familiar with any finer details of the place. Not to mention, Gio was becoming a damn good cook.

* * *

“Huh. Look at the size of _that_ place. We should save up and go _there_ next time.”   
“Sierra, I think that… might actually be where we’re going.”  
“What? Don’t be ridiculous, it’s way too bougie.”

_ «In five-hundred feet, turn right. You have reached your destination.» _

“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me. There’s no way.”

As the van turned into the lot, they realized that Thomson wasn’t playing around when she said she 'knew a place'. Leaf figured that the phrasing “resort” was an attempt to make it sound more impressive than it was (much in the way that apartments were sometimes listed as “community homes”), but as it turned out, the massive hotel was right on the beach and surprisingly luxe. As they entered the front doors of the building, it became apparent that it didn’t  _ matter  _ that it was too cold for the ocean visits— the legitimate, capital-“R” resort had more than they could ask for.

They approached the front desk, where a cute and scruffy kobold girl was seated by a computer. She beamed, seeming genuinely enthused to see the two guests.

“Hello! Welcome to Alraune Springs! Will you two be staying with us?” Her green eyes were beyond friendly, and as she spoke her tail wagged behind her in a way that Leaf found shockingly adorable. 

“Uh, yes… I think there’s a reservation under Miller?”

The concierge began entering the surname, with Leaf watching in surprise at how well her large, fuzzy claws typed on the keyboard.   
“Hmm,  _ Miller…” _ She waited for it to load, tapping her nails idly on the desk.  _ The world’s changing rapidly to accommodate countless new species and yet it can’t get faster software… shocker,  _ Leaf thought.

“Alrighty, Leaf Miller? Looks like we have a room for two, for… three nights?”  
“That’s us,” Leaf affirmed. “And yeah, sounds right.”

“Wonderful!” She dug through the cabinet beside her for a moment and withdrew two small plastic cards, which she passed across the counter to Leaf. “Here are your room keys, and would you like me to show you some of our facilities?”

Leaf looked to Sierra, then back to the girl. “Uhh, sure, that sounds great.”  


The pair followed the kobold past the glass doors in the back of the lobby and to the left. Sierra was lingering close to Leaf, closer than usual at least, which of course the human didn’t mind… but she reminded her just in case.

_ “Remember, we might have to be careful with PDA while we’re here,”  _ Leaf said quietly.  _ “I’ve got you, but we still need to be cautious.”   
_ She took Sierra’s arm and rubbed it affectionately for a moment. She could at least pass _that_ kind of thing off as a host simply calming her homestay’s nerves. She was also silently grateful for the fact that they were both girls— a male human being physically affectionate with a female liminal would raise red flags much more quickly.

“During your stay your room key will also allow you access to the gym, the rec room, and other indoor facilities like the pool. Here’s the gym…”

Leaf was by no means a fitness enthusiast, but she was stunned by the size of the room before them. Countless weight machines of varied sizes and modifications filled the room, many of which were currently being used by liminals that Leaf had either never seen in person or never knew existed. An extraordinarily muscular woman with red skin and horns was hard at work doing chest flys, grunting as she swung her arms slowly inward. About fifteen feet away, a lizardman occupied the pull-down machine, his tail visibly tensing up as his reps became more laborious. 

“First floor is weights and heavy machines, second floor is cardio: stationary bikes, treadmills, that sort of thing.” Their guide pointed toward the back corner of the room, to a flight of stairs. “It’s accessible from the second floor too, so don’t worry about coming through this entrance if it’s less convenient.”   
Sierra leaned over to her host as she scanned the equipment.   


“So, you gonna come work out with me?”   
In return, Leaf stared flatly at at the offer.   
“What, are you kidding? I’m way more interested in relaxation than working hard.” She glanced at the equipment, turned off by the thought of exercise, then began remembering why they came. “But… if you want to, I’ll… uh, spot you, or something.”  
_ It’s a start,  _ the echidna thought with a chuckle.

* * *

“Now, we actually have a  _ few  _ indoor pools, given the size of our resort… The first two are back this way. There’s locker rooms between the both, and there  _ are  _ a few stalls you can use to change if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of being a little more public.”

The first pool was large, though pretty standard fare. But the second…

“This… this has to be olympic-size, right?”   
Leaf couldn’t believe her eyes. As she stared, their guide nodded excitedly.    
“Uh-huh! Fifty-meter lanes, varying depths for preference, all down to FINA specifications.” She seemed very proud of this fact. “The gyms and pools were designed in collaboration with Sports Club Kobold!

“Now, we don’t have to go all the way up to the top floor unless you’d like, but the other pool can be found there. Depending on when you go it might be the more crowded of the three, but it’s also got a bar and a skylight for basking in the sun as well if that appeals to you. Anyways, I think that just about covers it! Would you like me to show you to your room, or do you think you’ve got it from here?”

Leaf glanced at the card she had been absent-mindedly playing with in her hand.   
“513… so fifth floor? We should be okay.”  
“Awesome!” The girl’s excitement was boundless; it was obvious that sitting at the desk most of the day gave her a lot of pent-up energy that she was glad to finally spend. “If you have any questions you can just call the front desk from your room! I hope you have a wonderful time, Miss Miller!” 

The couple turned to look at one another, amused by the sight.  
“That girl was something, huh.”  
“She really was,” Leaf agreed. Already tired from the drive and wheeling their luggage back and forth around the first floor, she figured it was time to get to the relaxation they came for. She pulled the second key card out from the little sleeve the concierge had given her, and handed it to Sierra with an excited smile.

“Wanna find out what our room is like?”


	54. Alraune Springs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaf and Sierra settle in for their holiday at the resort.

“Oh my gosh…”

The room wasn’t lavish by any means, but it was infinitely nicer than any hotel room Leaf had been in before. In fact, it seemed like the kind of room she’d only seen in movies. Against the back wall, a sliding glass door led to a balcony that overlooked the rolling ocean. Leaf couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen it in person. It had to have been… seven, eight years? After so long, she felt almost humbled by the sight. A lakeside view just couldn’t compare.

To get to the balcony, however, Leaf had to walk past the absolutely massive bed that took up most of the room’s space. And, as everyone knows, when you get to a hotel the _first_ thing you do is flop onto the bed.

“Mm, this is _way_ bigger than a king,” Leaf sighed contentedly, her voice half-muffled by the mattress. Her partner slid closer, gently rising onto the bed beside her.

“It tracks that, if this place is for humans and liminals alike, a lot of the beds would be sized for larger liminals. Thomson picked this out?”

“Mhm,” Leaf nodded, flipping through her phone. “She said she’d mark it down as a company expense. Mental health of a homestay, or something like that.”

Sierra was enthralled to find that far more of her could fit on the bed than back home. As she stretched and sprawled out, she let out a gruff moan immediately followed by a relaxed sigh.

“I’m looking at the resort’s app now,” Leaf noted, “and it looks like they’ve got a page where you can book massages. You wanna go together? It’s _your_ holiday, after all.”

Sierra hadn’t noticed it until now, but her shoulders were actually _incredibly_ tense, and a massage sounded like heaven. She also loved Leaf’s backrubs more than anything, and was almost willing to forgo the professional treatment just so she could have the more intimate one.  
But, then again, there was no reason she couldn’t have both.

“Sounds perfect,” she said with a smile. “But first…” Her tail slid behind Leaf’s body and pulled her across the mattress until her head was practically atop Sierra’s breast.  
“How about a nap?”

* * *

As the pair woke up, both of them had almost forgotten where they were— the familiar, textured log walls of the cabin were replaced by smooth whites, greys and blacks, the sound of other housemates gone. It was just the two of them, and it had been so, so long since that.

Leaf was the first to stir, and as she flipped through the resort’s app she went ahead and booked a “couple’s massage” for two hours ahead. Of course, “couple’s massage” was just the specific name for it; it was promoted toward pairs of liminals or humans, but the page made it clear that it was also available for hosts and their homestays. _Easy enough to keep up appearances, I guess…_

As the thought crossed her mind she began to wonder if it was intentional. After all, they must have been far from the only interspecies couple to come to the resort. It seemed a silent understanding with some businesses that, as long as you were careful enough in public, you were welcome to do as you pleased behind closed doors.

_Actually… Yeah, I probably should go ahead and…_

She swiped away from the app and brought up her messages, and then felt guilty: her sister had texted her about a week ago, and she’d forgotten entirely to respond.  
  


|🍃>> _So sorry! Totally missed this! Yes, I’d love to!_ _  
_ |🍃>> _Also, there’s something else you should probably know, but you can’t tell anyone  
  
_

Not even a minute later, Amy replied in relief.  
  


<<👯♀️| _Thank you so much! It’s been a while, after all, you’ll fall in love with him all over again_ _  
_ <<👯♀️| _And sure, what’s up?_

  
With a quiet smile, Leaf held her phone out and took a selfie of both herself and the sleeping serpent beneath her. She typed a quick message to go with it and hit ‘send’.  
  


|🍃 _ >> I… kind of have a girlfriend? We’re on a trip together right now _

_ << _ 👯♀️| _OMG no way! Leaf!!! I could cry that’s so wonderful!_

|🍃 _ >> The exchange bill makes it complicated though so don’t tell anyone but michael, I don’t want her to get deported or anything. _

<<👯♀️| _oh of course. As funny as it would be to see mom’s face I’ll keep it quiet._ _  
_ <<👯♀️| _I totally knew she liked you, it was obvious_

|🍃>> _Wait really? God, am I that oblivious?_

<<👯♀️| _Apparently so. Good job sis!_

  
She lay there for a bit longer, a gentle warmth in her chest from her sister’s congratulations. Any had a point though: the look on her mother’s face would be scrapbook-worthy. Eventually she nudged Sierra and smiled in amusement as the massive snake tail slowly wound across the mattress with her stirring.

“Afternoon, you,” she sang quietly as she lovingly rubbing her partner’s ventral scales. “I’ve booked our massages, do you want to take a shower with me?” She was excited at the prospect; they had a large bath at home, but a _shower_ built for liminals was far rarer, and she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity together.

“Mm…” Sierra turned the thought over in her half-asleep head. It was important to Leaf that the both of them speak their mind, which led to hesitation as she looked down at the blonde laying against her.

“Would you… mind if I took one by myself? Just to clear my head.”

Leaf didn’t love the idea, but as she was adamant about before, it was Sierra’s holiday, not hers. They’d have plenty of opportunities later, anyhow.

“Of course. Let me know when you’re out.”  
“Thanks,” Sierra said, kissing her in assurance. “I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.”

The shower took Sierra by surprise— she didn’t know what to expect, but this was far and away more than she envisioned.

Beyond the glass door lay a chamber that was eight or so feet in each direction, coated wall-to-floor in brown travertine tile. A large, square metal fixture hung from the center of the ceiling, and Sierra found herself momentarily baffled before realizing it was a three-foot-wide showerhead that sprayed directly downward.

_Holy shit._

It was like standing beneath a waterfall; the serpentine had never had such a lush shower experience, though she wished her mind was a bit more clear to enjoy it to the fullest.  
The last two nights in her dreams she’d had screaming matches with her mother, and in the first one it escalated into a violent fight.

She leaned against the tiling with a sigh, bracing her head against her forearm. Gods willing, Sierra would never see the three of them again.  
And yet, something about it… hurt.

* * *

“Hello there! Are you Leaf?”

Leaf was surprised to find a serpentine behind the desk at the spa— a cheery, teal-haired girl with a charming and polite smile that almost reminded her of Corin. Something was off, though.

“I am!”  
“Wonderful! Now, have you and Miss Sierra ever had an eel mermaid massage before?”

 _That’s_ what it was: the girl wasn’t a serpentine at all, but rather a variant of mermaid with an eel-like lower half. She found her eyes drawn to the gills along the girl’s ribs, embarrassed she hadn’t noticed sooner.

As they entered the large coral-tone room, Sierra found her senses overwhelmed by the fragrance of lavender. The girl from the front desk offered towels for coverage before directing them to disrobe and lay face-down on their respective tables: one for Leaf, and three set up back-to-back for Sierra.

As they readied themselves in the briefly empty room, Sierra turned to find her host staring at her. She chuckled.   
“What gives, Miller?”

Leaf had a contented smile on her face.“Nothing,” she said, before adding at a low volume, “you just look really hot in nothing but a little white towel.”

“Oh, baby, I know,” the echidna grinned, flexing a bicep in faux vanity. “Pretty cute yourself, though. The best part is what’s underneath.” Her eyes shot down to between Leaf’s thighs, and her tongue flicked playfully.

A few moments later three different eel mermaids _(Surely there’s a simpler name,_ Leaf wondered) entered the room and dispersed, one tending to Leaf and the other two to Sierra. The one standing by Sierra’s upper half addressed the both of them in a serene tone.

“If it’s your first time, the mucous produced by mermaids that’s implemented as part of the massage can be a little surprising, but just do your best to relax and we’ll take perfect care of you.”

She wasn’t kidding— Leaf found the sensation was similar to warm aloe being spread across her back and shoulders, causing the mermaid’s webbed hands to run slickly along her skin.

Sierra seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit, as Leaf heard her uttering low grunts and moans throughout. A bit further in, the masseuse at Sierra’s head spoke up to the both of them once more.

“Would either of you prefer a breast massage with your treatment today?”

Leaf shivered at the thought—or was it from the hands working into her side muscles?— but she also wasn’t certain how to respond. She deferred to her partner.

“Sierra?”  
“I’m down if you are.”  
“...Yes, please.”

Corin had done an amazing job during Leaf’s personal spa day but this was above and beyond. As if to prove it, it was during this portion of the massage that Sierra’s moans broke louder. An unfortunate side effect of this was Leaf’s arousal: between the slippery hands kneading her chest and the sound of moaning nearby, her mind started to wander. She would just have to ignore the thoughts until they faded, but god, she hoped that Sierra would be open to some physical contact later that night.

* * *

“Holy shit, that was _incredible,”_ Sierra sighed as the pair headed back to their room. “What next?”

Leaf rolled her eyes. “I’ve told you over and over, it’s your vacation so you get to pick. Anything or nothing, I’ll go with.”

“Hmmmmm.” Sierra thought for a moment, then eyed her partner. “In that case, I’m ready to see you in your swimsuit,” she said with a hungry smile.

The pair navigated to the rooftop pool’s changing rooms where Leaf found herself to be the lucky one: despite having seen Sierra’s body in the tiny black swimsuit before, she seemed even hotter now. Before long, she caught Leaf’s eyes scanning her.

“Okay, Miss Subtle,” she teased, “thought we were supposed to be on the down-low while we’re here.”

“I _am_ subtle!” Leaf protested. Sierra raised an eyebrow at her.  
“Babe, you were practically eye-fucking me. C’mon, let’s go.”

Leaf’s embarrassment faded once they got to the pool itself. Because it was still winter the sun had already begun to go down, allowing them to relax their just-massaged bodies beneath a periwinkle sky.

“I gotta say, this is the life… thank you for arranging this for me, Leaf.”

Sierra’s tail swished gently along the floor of the pool as her arms draped along the edge. Leaf, who was still not used to wearing a swimsuit in public, sat beside her, grateful most of her own body was beneath the surface. At various points along the deeper end were small submerged shelves that jutted out slightly from the wall, allowing patrons a place to sit and drink while still residing in the pool. Leaf had already settled on one of these spots as her own personal nook.

“Thank Thomson. She’s the one who set all this up.”  
With a nod, Sierra agreed. “You’re right. But thank you for talking to her about it. And… for coming with me.”

Leaf found it inordinately difficult not to reach out and take Sierra’s hand, or kiss her, but rules were rules.

 _Later,_ she thought.


	55. Meet the Squad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaf and Sierra bump into someone unexpected at the resort. Chelle spends some time with Jessie, while Corin gets a surprise phone call.

Leaf glanced across the twilit pool, people-watching in a manner far less conspicuous than she had eyed her girlfriend. Being around liminals was exciting for her, admittedly; it was a rare occurrence, sure, but in many ways she had grown to feel more comfortable around them than around other humans, especially when it came to strangers.

“Oh my god,” she whispered beneath her breath. Sierra looked over, humming in question, causing Leaf to nod across the pool to a tremendous, horned, muscular figure that just emerged from the men’s locker rooms.  
“Is that… a minotaur?”

Sierra nodded. “Yep. I keep forgetting that you only really see other liminals when we go to Talon. Impressive, huh?”

He _was_ impressive… perhaps a bit too much so, Leaf thought, as she imagined how easily the minotaur could snap her spine in two if he so desired.

As he made his way down the shallow-end steps and into the pool, Leaf observed his features a bit more. He had more of a bull-like snout than other liminals she had seen, which Sierra told her was typical for many males of their species. Adorning his nostrils was a thick, solid gold ring.

“I’ll go ahead and tell ya— as far as minotaur men go, he’s actually pretty damn handsome,” Sierra noted. “‘Lot of ‘em? Hella ugly.”

Leaf didn’t want to linger too long on the man, so she did a quick wrap-up and glanced around to the others in the area, quietly observing. Eventually, Sierra pointed out another for her host.

“And _that_ would be a minotaur female,” she said in an almost admirable tone.

Leaf followed her gaze to a nearby bench where a large, tan woman sat, wearing a black bikini top that barely contained her massive breasts and a yellow-and-orange wrap around her waist that draped down to her knees. Just like the male, her legs tapered into two thick, dark hooves. Her hair, a light beige with deep-brown lowlights beneath, was pinned back to show her relatively stoic, yet peaceful, face. Like the liminals that stayed with Leaf, she appeared more human in most of her attributes. _She’s very pretty, if not intimidating._

Leaf glanced back between the male and female minotaurs. The dichotomy was...shocking. Suddenly, she heard a voice call out from one of the lounge chairs behind her.

“Mira, have you seen Violetta anywhere?”

The minotaur glanced up, causing Leaf to panic and look away as she responded. _That voice was familiar..._

“Locker room…”  
“Mm, okay. I’ll try to see if I can coax her out,” the polite yet firm voice continued.

 _Wait, that’s—!  
_ “Howdy, Thomson,” Sierra chuckled. “Figures you wouldn’t let us have a little quiet of our own. Is ‘Violetta’ the name of our next homestay?”

As Thomson circled into view, she smiled and waved at the pair.  
“Nothing like that, promise. I’m here on a pleasure trip as well. Been training for the new job and figured we’d treat ourselves.”

“Three or four hours away, on a Monday?” Sierra looked at her skeptically.

“Well I can’t say you didn’t _inspire me._ Anyway, give me a minute, I’ll introduce you to the girls.”

The minotaur— _Mira, right?—_ looked over to Leaf and Sierra as her teammate headed toward the locker rooms.

“...You know Thomson?”

Leaf nodded.   
“She’s our exchange coordinator. You’re one of her new coworkers, right?”

Mira didn’t seem particularly… emotive. She nodded quietly.

“Ooh, friends of Thommy’s?” a teenaged-sounding voice called from behind them, shortly before its owner strutted into view. The tan, golden-eyed bombshell crouched by the edge of the pool, her cleavage (if one could even call it that; she was practically naked) on full display. 

“Supes cool. I’m Lilli.” She held out a hand to the blushing Leaf, who obliged despite not expecting a handshake in a pool of all places. As they touched, Lilli gave a seductive smirk and Sierra growled.

A moment later Thomson returned with a shy, green-haired monoeye in tow, and finalized introductions.

“It’s nice to meet you…” Violetta said, looking down into the pool’s water. Lilli giggled.  
“C’mon, Vi, put some heart into it. Look at ‘em, at least, yeah?”

A bit frazzled, the girl repeated herself as her eye met theirs.  
 _“I’m Violetta! It’s very nice to meet you! Uhm!”_

Sierra gave a half-wave as Leaf introduced herself in return. “I’ve never met a monoeye before! I hope it’s not too forward to say, but your eye color is _so_ beautiful.”  
Violetta, in stark contrast to her name, grew a bright red and attempted to stammer out a thank-you before nervously speedwalking away toward Mira.

“Anyways,” Thomson laughed to herself, “I’ll still be your coordinator, I’ve just got some additional jobs that go alongside it now. I won’t complain, it’s a pretty significant pay bump. ...Hey, where’s Kyrie? Lilli?”

The succubus shrugged. “Probably too busy having a stick up her big ol’ spider ass to have any real fun.” As Thomson rolled her eyes in annoyance, the quiet minotaur behind them spoke up.

“She’s at the spa.”  
“All accounted for, then. Anyway,” she turned back to Sierra, “don’t let us bother you, you’ve earned a little vacation. Oh, and just so you know, _she’s_ essentially been blacklisted from entering the country again.”

Thomson didn’t have to drop a name for Sierra to know that she was referring to her mother. She tried to brush off the idea, not wanting the mere thought of her to ruin the day she was having, and so she acknowledged the statement with nothing more than a nod.  
“You’re not buggin’ me,” she said matter-of-factly. “You’re more than welcome to join if you want.”

As the others (primarily Lilli, who was eyeing the both of them) contemplated the offer, there was a quiet splash at the opposite end of the pool. The male minotaur climbed out, water sloughing off his body like a kaiju rising from the ocean, and began walking along the opposite side of the pool in their direction. Leaf’s hand crawled along their seat until it found Sierra’s; she found the man’s size intimidating, and searched for subtle assurance where she could find it.

“Oh, my, _god,”_ Lilli whispered quietly. Leaf looked from her to the minotaur, unsure of what was so interesting, and then suddenly, involuntarily, she gasped.

His swim shorts, now soaking wet, clung tight to his thighs, highlighting his muscular quads. But this wasn’t all they accentuated: between his legs, the fabric clung tight to a shockingly long, incredibly thick cylinder. Sierra let loose a light, playful growl at the sight. “Gods _damn,”_ she whispered to Leaf. “And I call _myself_ a snake…”

The three of them tried their best not to stare, hard as it was, but the minotaur’s eyes had already honed in on his target.

“Hi there,” he began in a low, rich baritone. “You’re not planning on swimming? Seems like a waste of such a nice swimsuit… and body.”

If he hadn’t been standing directly in front of Mira, you would think that she hadn’t seen or heard him. She was still seated on the bench, her hands resting to either side behind her, and it took a solid two or three seconds after he finished talking for her eyes to flick up and acknowledge him.

“I don’t really think so.” Her tail flitted lazily behind her.  
“Nah? Well I’d love your company, but if you’re not really feeling up to swimming that’s fine… My name’s Terro. Would you allow me to take you out tonight instead?”

Again Mira’s response was a bit delayed, though this time she didn’t even look up.  
“...Not interested.”

Terro cocked his head to the side. “I see. Hard to get. I know better than anyone how minotaurs can be though… Lemme tell ya what. If you find yourself needing the company of another minotaur… come find me. Room 706.” As he took a step back, he glanced to Thomson and the other girls. “Ladies,” he nodded, before walking off confidently.

The second the locker room’s door closed behind him, Lilli turned to her partner in alarm.

“What the _fuck, Mira,_ are you _kidding me?!_ Did you see his— Thommy, cover your ears— _did you_ **_see_ ** _his_ **_cock?_ ** _Oh my_ **_god,_ ** _land of missed opportunity!!”_

Thomson, of course, did _not_ cover her ears, and wasn’t too bothered by the sentiment. It was extremely hard to miss; even Leaf found herself with a thousand-yard stare when he left. Meanwhile, Mira just continued minding her own business.

“Not my type.” She didn’t feel the need to say anything further. Lilli growled in exasperation, nearly tearing her hair out at Mira's plain response.

 _“God,_ fine. _Fine._ I’m hitting up his room later though, if you won’t. There’s no way I’m ending this trip without getting fucked.”

“Help yourself.”

As the more or less one-sided argument continued, Sierra traced her claw over Leaf’s hand, which was still in contact with her own beneath the water’s surface. “Sure _you_ don’t want a slice of that?” she teased. Leaf pulled her hand back, the thought horrifying her.

“I don’t… think any part of me could handle that,” she shuddered.   
Sierra broke into a grin.  
“I think you handle _plenty_ just fine, but if you say so.”

* * *

Jessie had been uncertain about staying the night with Chelle— not that she hadn’t done it before, but this time Leaf wasn’t home and that made it feel a little more… scandalous. Gio and Corin of course trusted Chelle and presumed Leaf would have no problems with it, however, so they were more than happy to have the girl over.

In instances where this happened, Jessie tried her best to briefly match her schedule to Chelle’s. On school days this usually involved sleeping most of the afternoon and early evening as soon as she got home, then going to visit later that night. In some instances, it was easier for her to just skip school altogether.

The real complicated part was explaining to her parents.   
Or, perhaps more accurately, lying to her parents.  
She’d worked on her story— that Leaf had a younger sister who did online classes so that she could also work, saving money to move out. The weird hours made it so they could only really hang out at night. It was perfect. Or, well, as perfect as an overly-complicated alibi crafted in order to date a liminal in secret could be.

“I guess they’re suspicious. I dunno.”  
Jessie sat at the foot of the bed, with Chelle laying atop the mattress and playing with her hair.   
“But like, how am I supposed to tell them?”

The spindly fingers scratched gently at Jessie’s scalp.

“Well… could you tell them the truth?” She didn’t expect a yes; Chelle’s own father had not been one to take contrarian actions lightly, and she presumed a lot of human parents would be similar. Jessie shook her head.

“Nah… _‘Daddy, I’m dating a liminal who’s nocturnal and that’s why I’m out at night. Also, she’s a girl, so surprise, I also like girls.’”_ She chuckled to herself, and although it made Chelle a bit sad, the serket found herself doing the same.

“Either way,” Jessie sighed, “you’re still mine. That’s what matters, yeah?”  
Chelle smiled and draped her arms around the girl’s shoulders, kissing her lightly on the cheek. The more they hung out, the better she got at expressing herself physically, and she loved that Jessie brought that out of her.

“That’s right.” 

  
On the other side of the cabin, Gio and Corin were spending their evening playing games on the television. Gio in particular was grateful for the existence of motion controls, as his lack of fingers gave him limited dexterity. He was also grateful for the chance to exercise his competitive nature, considering the others weren’t likely to join him for a run or anything of the like. Corin was not taking it well.

“Ugh, Gio, I don’t even _understand_ this game,” she moaned. “Why are we collecting property? Where’s the fun in this?”

Gio shrugged as he rolled doubles. “Beats me, all I know is I’m winning and I love it.” He watched as the tiny pewter dog bounced around the perimeter of the board, silently lamenting that it wasn’t a _real_ game piece as it looked absolutely delicious.

Corin dropped her controller, relieving herself of play to get a drink from the kitchen. “Roll for me if you’d like, but I’d much rather play something better if you can find one,” she called. As she poured some tea from the pitcher, she heard the tinkling arpeggio of her phone in the other room.  
 _“Want me to get it for you?”_

“No no, I’m coming,” the mantid asserted, speeding back into the living area with her glass and leaning over the back of the sectional to grab her phone. A long-distance number she couldn’t place scrolled across the screen.  
“Huh, that’s odd…” She pressed the little green button on her phone as she lifted it.

“Hello, this is Corin…?”  
 _“Corin, my darling dear, how are you liking your trip? I apologize if it’s a bad hour, I’m not sure of the time difference…”_

The mantid gasped, nearly dropping her glass to the floor. Gio cocked his head in curiosity.

“Oh my gosh, _momma!_ Hello, how _are you?!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this one a while back but tbh it quickly cemented Lilli as one of my faves, she is just _so so_ much fun to write.


	56. Making the Most of the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leaf and Sierra wrap up their first night at the resort together. Lilli decides to have things her way. And back home, Gio is... 'frustrated'.

As it grew later, Leaf and Sierra bid farewell to Thomson and her new “team” before retreating to their room. They opened the door and their damp bodies were immediately hit with the warmth of the heater, causing the both of them to sigh contentedly.

“I can’t _wait_ to lie down in those sheets…” Leaf moaned as she headed for the bed before stopping in her tracks.   
“...Whoa.”

“Hm?” Sierra locked the door and came up behind her. “Ooh la la…”  
Sitting on the bedside table was a large bottle of red wine, with two glasses. Leaning against them was a small white card.  
  


 _Enjoy, ladies!  
_ _-Thomson  
  
_

“She really does know how to surprise us, huh,” Sierra smiled, reaching for a glass. “Shall we?”

The two polished off the bottle of wine with potentially-dangerous speed, watching reality TV together and laughing and cuddling, and eventually they settled down beneath the sheets, warm and buzzed and ready to sleep. The day had been lazy, but it was just what Sierra needed: a nap, a massage, a dip in the pool, and finally wine in bed with her favorite human. She was more grateful than she really knew how to articulate. She wasn’t good with words, not like the others at least.  
But, for Leaf, she would try.

“Hey, Leaf?...”

“Yeah?” The blonde opened her eyes to look at her partner. Sierra was turned away and facing toward the wall; that, plus her lack of usual tail contact in the bed, let Leaf immediately know something was off. She took a moment to organize her words.  
“I’m… sorry, for being kinda distant. You haven’t done anything wrong. ...Yeah.”

They’d done so much that day that it was hard for Leaf to call her actions distant, but as she thought about it, Sierra _had_ been a lot quieter than usual. Particularly on the car ride up to the resort, and there was also her desire to shower alone.

“It’s okay,” she responded. “You’ve had a lot going on. It’s okay if you need time to process it. And…” Leaf pushed herself closer up behind Sierra, rubbing her hips along where her smooth skin ended and her scales began. “... I know talking about things can be hard for you. So if you don’t want to, you don’t have to.”

Sierra didn’t give an immediate response to this, not that Leaf minded. She knew it wasn’t her forte. The response that eventually came surprised her though.

“What if… I _do_ want to? But I... don’t really know how.”

She felt Leaf’s arm wrap around her waist, followed by a light kiss on her shoulder.  
“Well, you can just think aloud, if you want… instead of talking directly to me,” the voice in her ear proposed. “Or maybe, like Halloween? You could talk to your aunty, right?”

 _Just think aloud… I guess I could do that,_ Sierra thought. She lay there for a minute or two, trying to sort her busy mind, and pictured Azema in her head.

“I’ve just, resented my mom for so long… She was more concerned with the tribe’s image, with her status, than she was with me. And it got even worse when she visited. I left to get away from her, and then I finally got to tell her off to her face and cut ties completely, like I’ve always wanted. And I…”

She paused to take a deep breath, which staggered slightly on the exhale.  
“I just feel so _alone_ now, like. I… I don’t have a _mom_ anymore.”  
Leaf felt Sierra’s tail curl beneath the sheets, tensing with the rest of her body.

“I know I have you and the others, I do. And it means everything. But… I don’t have a mom, now. I don’t have a _fucking mom_ … Fuck…”

Leaf’s heart shattered. Unsure what to say, she just squeezed Sierra tightly from behind, nuzzling into her neck. After a moment, she felt the scaled hands upon her own as Sierra sniffled.

“I guess that’s… another thing we share now,” Leaf whispered quietly, her voice hollow.

Sierra chuckled at this and turned around to face the girl beside her, feeling embarrassed. Not only was it one of the only times she had fully opened up around Leaf, it was one of the only times the human had seen her legitimately cry.

“...Just kiss me, yeah? And don’t stop.”

Leaf was happy to do so, and gradually Sierra felt less burdened in her presence. With her strong personality, the echidna’s more extreme emotions tended to be tied together— she could come off as cold and unfeeling to strangers, sure, but when she felt, she felt _hard,_ an absolute hurricane. The passion in her sadness slowly shifted into her passion for Leaf, and over the course of the next ten minutes their kisses grew to match. Once Leaf felt the forked tongue caressing her own she knew what would come soon, and she was right: just being in Sierra’s arms was her favorite place, but wrapped tight in her coils, whimpering like the mouse about to be devoured by its predator, was a close second.

* * *

Lilli hummed to herself as she waited. The door to the room was a fair bit larger, but then again the seventh floor had suites dedicated to much taller or broader liminals. After a moment the door opened, and the hulking minotaur man looked down at her, wearing a maroon bathrobe.

“Do I know you?”  
Lilli giggled. “I’m a friend of Mira’s. The girl from the pool? She said she was busy, unfortunately, so I stopped by to deliver the message… I’m real sorry about that.”

Terro huffed through his snout. “A shame she couldn’t tell me herself. But oh well. Thank you.” He began closing the door, but paused as he heard the girl cry “wait a minute!”

“Yes?”  
With a sly grin, Lilli eyed the man before her.  
“If you’d still like some company for the night, well, I’d be happy to spend some time away from my friends…”

As Terro’s eyes met her own, something in him wavered. Suddenly he couldn’t remember the girl from the pool. _Was she… a centaur? An ogre?_ All that mattered was the lithe yet buxom girl before her, her catslit eyes like liquid gold. He stepped to the side, opening the door further.

“Please, be my guest.”

Lilli giggled as she slipped past him, running a hand along the exposed portion of his chest.  
 _“Such a gentleman…”_

She could bear with the pleasantries; when it came to sex she was patient, like a spider in wait. She knew what she wanted, and she would have it.

Of course, it used to be easier. Before she agreed to work with the LCF she could simply ensnare whomever she wanted, regardless of how they felt about her, or about succubi, or about women in general. Now that Lilli was a government agent, however, she had to follow a more _moral_ code of conduct. If she was going to go all the way she was only allowed to sniff out already extant desire, even if hidden deep beneath the surface, and use her power to exacerbate it. Terro had desired each of the girls by the pool in their own way— there were advantages to sex with a human, or a lamia, or a harpy, and he’d found this out over the years with what he playfully (or sleazily) referred to as a taste test— but there was a certain compatibility with minotaur girls he loved. Maybe it was in his genetics. Regardless, Mira was hazy in his mind, and he was more than willing to accept the meal in front of him.

She drank the wine, she giggled as he talked, all the bullshit that a man would want to hear from her. And then, with a gesture as simple as a hand on his thigh, she accelerated to the point where she wanted to be.

As she lay on top of him, scratching at his chest, her prize began to shift and harden beneath her. She giggled and queued up the chaste angel routine. _Oh, goodness, what’s this?... oh my, you’re so big… I don’t know if I can handle this…_

She could, of course, and she was well aware of the fact. But god, the men loved to hear it nonetheless.   
Lilli had been with a wide variety of liminals over her long lifespan, including more than one minotaur, but she had to admit Terro turned out to be one of her favorites: she milked him three times before the night was done.

* * *

“Do you think they’re sleeping together?”

Corin paused and raised her claw to her mouth in thought as she returned from the kitchen. “Sleeping together? Like, sex? That seems a little… _impractical,_ doesn’t it?”

Gio shrugged rather ineffectively, as he was laying across the couch. “I mean, they _do_ seem to take a lot of baths together, who knows.”

“I didn’t think of you as one to gossip, Gio. Besides, two girls taking a bath together doesn’t mean they’re having sex, don’t be silly. It happens plenty here, and Dessa said it happened constantly for her back home.”

It was true, Dessa and Eilidh _had_ been taking plenty of baths together. But the primary reason was that they just enjoyed each other’s company, and the bat girl had grown to confide in her friend. 

“Guess so,” Gio said. “Maybe it just feels like everyone’s pairing up or something.” Leaf and Sierra were an item, as were Chelle and Jessie… he wouldn’t have been surprised if it happened further. Corin plopped down on the couch and stretched her arms.

“Are you feeling alright? Hypothesizing about everyone pairing up? That’s unlike you…” Before Gio could even respond, she gasped.  
“Oh my goodness! Gio, is it your _mating season?!”_

Almost immediately, the harpy hucked a pillow at Corin. She caught it in all four arms and grinned. “Guess that means I’m right!”

Gio groaned. He wasn’t as open about this kind of thing as Sierra and Corin, and preferred to keep his encounters on the down-low. Accepting defeat, he replied with a sigh.

“Yeah, well. Maybe it is.”

“And you’re _grumpy,_ too,” Corin teased. “Have you been with anyone this winter?” She watched for his response, suddenly finding the conversation much more entertaining.   
Gio wished he had fingers so he wouldn’t have to say his answer aloud.   
“Two.” 

Corin’s eyes lit up. “Two? In winter alone? That’s more than me and I’ve been here since September! And Miss Sierra calls _me_ names…”

Taking the opportunity to tease back rather than sulk, Gio smirked. “Guess I just got game, what can I say?”  
“Well you _are_ rather handsome.”  
“Hey thanks, I appreciate that.” His increased libido over winter _did_ have him considering Corin a few nights back— the girl was beautiful, passionate, and certainly open about her sexuality— but their relationship also felt more or less familial and the idea seemed weird the more thought he gave to it. Instead he considered seeing if Dessa was open to hooking up again and, because of this, wanted clarity on her status with Eilidh.

“Well, I suppose as soon as Miss Leaf is back we’ll have to arrange an outing of our own so we can find you someone! And me, if I’m being honest. It’s not my season but a girl _does_ have needs.”

Gio laughed. “I’m stunned you didn’t seal the deal at Talon, sometime.” The sentiment made Corin scoff.

“And go where with them? The _bathroom?_ No thank-you, that sounds dreadful.”

The harpy kept his mouth shut. _Not_ **_that_ ** _dreadful,_ he thought to himself with a smile.


	57. Living la Vida Alraune

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morning breaks at the resort, and Sierra is in a much better mood. Violetta tries to get closer to Mira.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point we’ll be jumping back & forth a bit between chapters: obviously we’ll see Leaf & Sierra and the LCF squad, but every other for the next several is gonna cover events back at the cabin as well. We can’t leave everyone else out!

The next morning, Sierra awoke to a knock on the door. Before she could leave the bed (which took a while, due to her tail winding back and forth all across the mattress) Leaf rose to answer it, donning a bathrobe with speed to make herself modest. She asked Sierra to do the same, or at least stay beneath the sheets, before opening the door.  _ God, I hope we don’t look like we’re sleeping together… _

In the doorway a lean, well-kempt man with silver hair and fierce yellow eyes greeted her. Beside him was a cart with two trays, each covered by a shiny metal cloche. “Good morning,” he began, bowing and placing a green, scaled hand on his chest. “I believe you ordered room service?”

More than anything else, Leaf felt flustered at how strangely  _ pretty _ he was; the kind of man that you’d see in some kind of otome game specifically drawn to make girls quiver. As she nodded and stepped to the side he entered, bringing the cart to the foot of the bed. The folded wings against his back took Leaf by surprise, even more than the green tail that swayed behind him.   
_ So  _ **_that’s_ ** _ a dragonewt,  _ she thought to herself.

“What’s all this?” Sierra leaned up from the bed, having explicitly ignored Leaf’s direction and covering herself with nothing but a sheet held up to her chest. “Sorry, I should have grabbed a shirt…” Leaf’s stomach dropped as she looked back to the man, who simply shook his head.

“If I may be so bold, it’s not my concern what happens behind closed doors at Alraune Springs, especially involving my reptilian kin.” He flashed a sharp-toothed smile at the nearly-exposed echidna. “As long as no one is hurt, I see no need to make it my business. … But I digress.”

He waved to the cart before him. “Miss Miller ordered breakfast for the both of you, so I ask you enjoy yourselves, and please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything. My name is Wyle.” As the duo thanked him, he gave another slight bow and left the two alone.

Sierra could not have been happier with the breakfast: a massive serving of eggs, in varied styles, and a veritable mountain of bacon. Leaf had a human-sized portion of the same, alongside some pancakes. There was no reason not to stuff herself… it was their holiday, after all.

“So he just came out and said it, huh?” Leaf said through a large, syrupy bite.  _ “‘Not my concern what happens behind closed doors’.” _ Sierra nudged Leaf with her tail before popping a whole hardboiled egg into her mouth.

“Y’know what that prolly means, yeah?” She swallowed, the bulge of the egg visible on her scaled neck as it traveled down. “Means he’s banging a human on the side. If he was in the program once, then he knows how hard it can be.”  
It wasn’t unlikely, now that Leaf thought about it: the program was of course strict about such things but feelings were feelings, whether romantic or sexual, and determined liminals and humans would find a way to satiate themselves. Liminals in particular were likely to cover for each other in this regard.

“You didn’t have to do this, you know,” Sierra said, shooting a look at the human beside her. “Like, this breakfast is royalty caliber as far as I’m concerned.”   
Leaf shook her head as she broke a piece of bacon in half. “Don’t act like you’re not enjoying it.”

“You got me there. And for what it’s worth… I’m feeling much better.” She smiled as she finished up her plate. “Let’s do some more today, yeah? I wanna swim in the sunlight. Andddd day drink. Can we day drink?”

Leaf was only halfway done with her food, but then again  _ she _ wasn’t a voracious carnivore. She agreed and offered Sierra the opportunity to shower while she finished up her food.

“Actually…” Whether faking it or not, Sierra looked surprisingly shy as she replied. “...I was hoping, since I was all in my head yesterday, that you’d come with me this time. We’ve  _ still _ never been able to shower together, y’know.”

_ Say no more,  _ Leaf thought. Her fork clattered against the plate as she dropped it and pursued the viper into the bathroom as fast as she could.

* * *

“Hey, uhm… are you okay, Mira?”

The somewhat bashful monoeye sat up on the bed as Mira exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her chest and draping just past her hips. She tousled her hair with an additional towel before tossing it to the side. “Yeah. Why?”

_Ugh… she can be kind of scary…_ Violetta looked away nervously. “Just, I dunno… we’re supposed to be a team, right? And I know Lilli’s kind of a loud personality and she and Kyrie butt heads, but I never hear you say much and I just wanted to make sure you were…” She trailed off a bit after noticing Mira staring at her, a blank and almost unimpressed look on her face.  
“Uhm… th-that you were okay…”

Mira cocked her head, as if confused by the thought. Naturally, Violetta panicked.

“You don’t have to talk to me about anything!” She waved her hands in front of her, gesticulating anxiously. “I-it’s not a big deal, you don’t owe me anything, I’m quiet too, just…”

“Violetta.”

She gulped. “...Yes?”  
Mira’s expression still hadn’t changed.

“Do you want to go swimming with me?”

* * *

Leaf shuddered at the thought of Sierra’s order; it was hardly past eleven.   
“God, you’re on vacation. Can’t you get in the spirit?”   
“I said what I said; a whiskey for me.”

With a sigh, Leaf turned back to the werecat behind the bar. “Fine, a whiskey for her, anddddd… can I get a malibu cherry, please?”

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, kid,” Sierra said as the glass of amber was set beside her. She lifted it, turning it in her hand as she was surprised to find it extremely light. “Plastic, huh? And here I picked whiskey so I’d feel fancy…”

Leaf paused for a moment and looked Sierra up and down, trying to process a subtle difference that she just realized. She was now only to around the echidna’s shoulder in height, and she had no idea how she hadn’t noticed it before. 

“You’re standing taller.”

Sierra looked away, pretending to ignore the sudden accusation.  
“Am I? That doesn’t sound right.”

“Uh-huh. If you say so. Well, either way… I certainly won’t complain.”

Sierra smiled to herself. She’d noticed it many times before, Leaf’s body language whenever she felt smaller and more petite than someone else. It was a rarity for the human, and even though she didn’t tend to admit it out loud it gave her a small fluttering feeling in her chest. It was easily confirmed in the shower earlier that morning: the ample room had made the facility their personal playground, and as Sierra pressed her against the shower wall and looked down at her playfully from a full foot above, the human’s pulse skyrocketed.

It would take Sierra a little getting used to, her ‘standing’ position now being on a different part of her tail, but she was more than happy to do it. A demure Leaf made her absolutely wild.

The pair made their way to a set of lounge chairs where they nestled in, figuring they’d have a round or two before swimming. Across the way, two harpies lay wearing next to nothing, their bodies oiled up to tan in the sun. Other than them, the only poolgoer at the moment was a thin woman with long, blonde hair pulled into a loose bun, leaning back against the steps of the shallow end. Submerged beneath the water at the bottom of the stairs was her beige-grey second abdomen— thin like her, with lengthy, chitin-coated legs that curled inward against her stomach. Her eyes were closed; without even speaking to her Leaf could tell that she wanted to be left alone.

The first drinks went faster than expected, and as Leaf headed back to the bar to get a second round, she was stopped by Sierra’s claw on her wrist.   
“Yo, Leaf…”

Startled, she turned. Sierra looked… almost guilty.  
“Promise you won’t be upset with me?...”

“Uhhh…”  
It was a hard thing to promise ahead of time, but she trusted Sierra by this point.   
“Mmmaybe. I promise  _ maybe.” _

“Hm.” Sierra nodded. “Good enough.”    
Before Leaf could contest it, the echidna swept her off her feet into a bridal carry, and then launched herself off the concrete and into the water.

Leaf’s scream was cut off as soon as they passed underwater, and as quick recompense for her sins Sierra kissed her as they floated beneath the surface. 

“You  _ bitch!”  _ Leaf shouted as they emerged, splashing her. “You’re so dead,  _ come here!” _

With shocking speed, Sierra darted about fifteen feet away. “Ohh no, Miller. You’re scary when you’re angry. Don’t hurt me!” she cackled, sticking her long tongue out. Leaf couldn’t help it, she was laughing giddily as well. From the opposite end of the pool, Kyrie rolled her eyes and sighed. 

_ “You don’t wanna see how bad I can splash you with this tail!”  
_ _ “Oh yeah?! Try it, pussy!”  
_ _ “Ohhh, that’s it, you’re mine!” _

_ So much for a quiet dip,  _ the arachne thought. 

* * *

The navy one-piece she owned wasn’t the most flattering, Violetta thought, but then again she didn't find her body had much to flatter.

“I-I dunno…”

“You did it yesterday, what’s the problem?”

Violetta blushed. It was true, she  _ did  _ go out yesterday, but it was evening, and she didn't expect to run into much of anyone. Even with that being the case, it took some coaxing from Thomson for her to leave the locker room.

“Just… look at you!”

Mira did  _ not  _ look at herself; she was well aware of what she looked like. The western-aesthetic sarong covered most of her lower half, but her muscular stomach was a sharp contrast to Violetta’s rather twiggy frame. And it wasn’t the only contrast: the monoeye’s chest was as petite as could be, whereas Mira… well, her breasts were a fair bit larger than Violetta’s own head, and seemed hardly contained by her scoop-neck bikini top. Sure, she was a species known for producing ample amounts of milk but...still.

“You’re fine.”

_ She really doesn’t show much emotion…  _ Violetta thought. Eventually however, she relented, following Mira out of the locker room and into the pool area. It was there that she immediately spied Kyrie.

“Hello, ladies,” the arachnid called, seeming beyond soothed in the water. It was the most relaxed they had seen her since they’d met several days ago.

“Hello Kyrie, are you enjoying yourself?”  
“Other than some  _ mild _ disturbances, yes, and you?”  
“Ah, yes, thank you.”

Violetta smiled, glancing across the pool; there sat the same pair of girls from yesterday, though it seemed they had a hard time keeping their hands to themselves this time around. As Leaf noticed the monoeye looking at them, she turned pink and shushed Sierra, dropping her hands to her sides.

“Violetta, let me ask you something.”

Kyrie opened her right three eyes as the pair slipped into the pool beside her.  “Sure, what is it?”

She studied her partner's face for a moment before speaking.

“Have you ever been with a human?”

Violetta let out a nervous yelp. “Whaa?! N-no, I haven’t, why do you ask, what makes you say that?!” Closing her eyes once more, Kyrie chuckled.

“Just curious. It’s only natural to wonder, after all.”

“I guess… but if I’m being honest, that surprises me from you.”

“I figured. I may be a little strict but that’s all military. I’m not a  _ total  _ stiff,” Kyrie replied. “If anything, Thomson’s the law girl. But it’s really quite something, you should try it sometime. I mean,  _ your _ body is essentially all human, so it’s a different story… but it really does make you feel appreciated in a whole new light, trust me.”

She tuned out from the conversation for a moment, quietly recalling what seemed to be a far-off memory, and smiled.  
“How about you, Mira?”

Mira stayed silent. After a second, Violetta turned to look up at her, and the minotaur uttered a one word response.

“No.”

“Tch. Not to sound like Lilli, but if you’re into the idea you should look for some companionship before we leave here. It’s a lot easier in a liminal-owned complex like this.” 

Violetta blushed, looking across the pool at the pair that Thomson had introduced her to the day prior.  
_ It is, huh?... _

“There’s a mixer tonight, you know.” Kyrie chuckled in a fashion that almost sounded devious. “Humans and liminals alike. Care to go?”


	58. Just Take Me Seriously!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dessa gets in a bit of a conflict with one of her fellow homestays. Eilidh tries to cheer her up and offers to distract her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, listen.  
>   
> This chapter was hinted at earlier, and while it's prolly not for everyone, the short of it is it felt natural enough with the character backgrounds that I figured I’d have some fun with it. Anyway if you enjoyed the farming arc of _Monster Musume_ or are like a wild supporter of the 'moo-kini' trend that popped up on twitter etc lately, this one is for you. Enjoy, ya kinky bastards.  
>   
> If you hate the idea... well, you can just read the first three scenes or so and you're good to go. Love ya~

“I’m sure it won’t be a problem. But, ah, one question…”

“Yes, what’s that?” Corin slid off her robe and dipped her chitin-coated feet into the warmth of the bath. As she sank in, she gripped her phone tighter so as to not drop it in the water. Thomson’s voice asked for clarity on the other end.

“Your mother is… well, I heard how Sierra’s went. Your mother isn’t like that, is she?”

With a giggle, Corin shook her head.  
“Absolutely not. My mother is the one who raised me the way I am, so I don’t think there would be any worries about her behavior. If anything, I think Miss Leaf would love her.“

There was a sigh of relief. “Okay, that’s very good to hear,” Thomson replied. “In that case, I’ll talk to Leaf next time I see her, and if everything sounds okay then I’ll see if I can work out the travel arrangements. Thank you for your help, Corin.”

“Of course, Miss Thomson! Have a nice day!”

Corin hung up and set the phone on the ledge, sinking deeper into the bath.  
_Please, let Miss Leaf agree… She must be so drained after the last visit… but… I might get to see mother!  
_She kicked her legs, splashing water everywhere as she squealed out of excitement.

* * *

It took a fair bit of time for the five liminals in the cabin to decide on a movie to watch together most nights. In the end Gio was outvoted, and Chelle’s pick won: a romantic comedy.

Romance movies in particular were becoming a popular watch for the group. Something about seeing human dating rituals, even in fiction, was absolutely fascinating. As Chelle herself was dating a human, she often found herself wondering just how accurate the films were.

The movie was about a boy who made a bet that he could pass an awkward liminal girl as a human— the same kind of trite storyline that Leaf would have been familiar with from a handful of films growing up. All things considered, it was fun but fairly cheesy— the werecat lead found herself hiding under hats, long skirts, and the like in hopes of disguising her more feline traits. About two-thirds of the way into the movie things got a little steamy, and Corin instinctively held a claw over Dessa’s eyes. The vampire bat squirmed and tried to look around.

“Moooove, I wanna see!”  
“I’m not sure you should watch this,” Corin tutted almost maternally. Irritated, Dessa swatted the pink claw out of her face.  
“Stop! I’m older than Chelle!” she growled. At her name’s mention, the serket turned to quietly observe the two of them.

A bit embarrassed, Corin drew her claw back. “Oh, my gosh; I apologize, Miss Dessa… I guess I forgot, because… well…”

“Because I’m childish?...”  
She knew what was meant, even if Corin hadn’t intended any harm by it. And she also knew that Corin wasn’t the only one in the house who thought so.  
“I’m sorry I don’t act the same as you guys. But that doesn’t mean you have to treat me like a _kid.”_

With a flap of her wings, Dessa leapt over the couch and huffed before leaving down the hall. The others sat in silence for a moment, afraid to speak.

“I… I feel so awful… ...Dessa…”   
Corin almost _never_ offended others and she took immense pride in this; in fact, the last time she _really_ hurt someone was the day she met Sierra, many months ago. 

_She deserves better…  
_As she thought about her mistake she grew teary-eyed, turning to the nearby harpy.  
“...Should I go after her?” 

Gio shook his head.   
“I think we should give her a bit. Just… think about what you want to say to her, and after she’s had a little time to cool off the two of you can talk.”

Eilidh, who was watching the movie from atop Chelle’s lower half, agreed. “If it hadnae been you, it woulda happened with Sierra, really. She’s talked tae me about it before… Ah’m sorry, Ah should’ve told ye all so we could avoid this kinda thing. Poor girl…”

* * *

“Dessa? D’ye mind if Ah come in?”

She waited for a response. Eventually, a quiet _“yeah”_ emerged from the other side. Eilidh slipped through the door and made her way up to the bath, which she cleared the height of with a quick hop.

“We dinnae have tae talk about it if ye dinnae want… but Ah can listen.”  
Dessa pouted and pulled her legs away from her chest slightly before looking down at her slender frame.  
“Stupid body… So _what_ if I’m not like them?”

“Exactly!” Eilidh sat on the porcelain and crossed her legs, looking up at the girl. “An’ hush. Yer body’s louely, jus’ like tha rest of ye.” Dessa didn’t say anything; she was too frustrated. The brownie continued.

“Ahhhh, Corin’ll come and apologize to ye later. She’s a sweet girl and ye know it, but even sweet girls fuck up every now an’ again.”

Eilidh was right, but maybe that’s why it felt so bad: because Corin was always so _nice_ and _caring_ , and a slip-up from that kind of person can hurt far worse than someone who’s teasing.

“Do ye want some company, or would ye like me tae leave ye fer a bit?”

Dessa twiddled her claws against one another, her eyes cast distantly into the water.  
“...Company’d be nice.” Her voice, typically chipper and pleasant, was quiet and melancholy. A minute later there was a tiny _splish_ as Eilidh jumped into the water and swam up against Dessa’s shoulder.

“At least back home I looked like the others… here everyone thinks they’re better than me.” Though Eilidh couldn’t see her eyes, Dessa seemed to be staring at her own body. She nestled herself against Dessa’s neck in comfort, like a pet mouse, speaking softly.

“They dinnae think that, dear… it’s just that, like humans, some _demihumans_ ’ll have their misconceptions about other species too. They’ll come around. It’s a louin’ home ye got here, after all.”

“...I guess you’re right.”

The pair of them sat quietly together in the bath for a while, isolated in the warm, soothing bubble away from the outside world. After the silence had gone on for quite some time, Dessa patted the bat on the shoulder.

“Fer what it’s worth, Dessa… Ah been thinkin’ about what ye said.’

The head of fluffy white hair turned, and a quiet “hm?” was the first thing Dessa had said in nearly ten minutes. Eilidh kicked her feet a bit nervously.

“Well… Ah’d be lyin’ if Ah said Ah dinnae miss pure milk fae the source, since it’s such a rarity. Just… fer what it’s worth.”

* * *

There was no way to approach it that didn’t feel a little awkward due to the subject at hand, but they arranged to meet around midnight or so— an easy thing to do, as Eilidh was more of a night owl than the rest of their house— and so, once everyone had gone to bed, the brownie made her way up to the loft. 

Despite being the one who first brought up the notion a while back, Dessa was rather shy about the whole thing. She didn’t even really understand why— after all, Gio’s lips had been on her chest before, so what was she worried about? Regardless, she kept herself wrapped in a blanket until Eilidh was close, something the latter took as strange, given they had seen each other’s bodies in the bath many times.

“Again, if yer no comfortable ye dinnae have tae. It’s no that big a deal.”   
Dessa shook her head, hesitantly relaxing her arms. The blanket drooped a bit in her claws as she spoke. “I’m ready. Really.”

“Well jus’ go an’ relax yerself, you’ve nothin’ tae worry about,” Eilidh coached. “It’s been a wee bit but it’s a skill a lot of brùnaidhs’re well acquainted with.”

Nerves struck Dessa again as she lay flat on the blanket, her upper body exposed. After reaffirming her consent, Eilidh jumped up and onto her stomach; the girl was so light that it tickled Dessa, which at the very least lightened the mood with an elicited giggle.  
The tiny, bare feet made their way up her body and halted on her sternum, before Eilidh dropped to her knees.  
“Jusssst relax, Dessa-darlin’,” she breathed quietly, reaching out and kneading the girl’s breast.  
Gio didn't have fingers to use, so the difference in sensation between him and Eilidh was already drastically different: although they were small, Eilidh’s hands diligently worked their way into the tissue, loosening her up gently. After a few minutes, she found herself breathing a bit heavier.

“Ye feelin’ alright?”  
Dessa exhaled slowly, the massage having completely soothed her nerves. “Uh-huh…”

A minute or so later, things got… sensitive. The bat shivered as Eilidh’s warm hands moved farther in, massaging her areola and pressing up against the edges of her nipple.

 _“Mm…”_ _  
_ She squirmed gently, as Eilidh continued helping her to relax.

“A good enough massage’ll get things goin’ jusssst the right way,” the quiet voice affirmed. “Yer doin’ great…”

The steady, labored breathing falling from Dessa’s lips became interspersed with her tiny, quiet moans as the dainty yet strong hands wrapped themselves around her nipple, squeezing and caressing it gently. 

_“Mmhahh… hahh…”  
_Eilidh tried not to let the wiggling of the girl beneath her interrupt her work. She tweaked and pinched the small, sensitive bud as she worked her calves in small circles to continue massaging the breast. Being a helpful brownie meant multitasking, and it meant being good at your work.

The combination attack sent Dessa’s pulse up, causing her to whimper; her wings stretched out for a moment before wrapping up around her chest, much like if she were sleeping. She tried to hold still, but this was the most attention ever given to that part of her body, and she couldn’t contain herself.

“Ooh, lookit _you,”_ Eilidh cooed. “It’s all hard now, _tha’sss a girl…”_  
Dessa huffed; she wanted to squeeze Eilidh tight but had to refrain, the girl was much too small to put that much strain on. She tried to steady her breathing and relax, as she was initially told, but it became infinitely more difficult when the intricate tissue massage was joined by the sensation of Eilidh’s tiny mouth doing its best to fit over her nipple, before pinching and suckling.

 _“Ah… !”  
_The brownie firmed her grip as Dessa arms and legs tensed, her knees pulling inward.  
“I…”

There was a soft _pop!_ as Eilidh pulled her mouth away and spoke soothingly. “I can tell we’re close, Dessa, good… ye ready?” She resumed her work, suckling diligently while massaging with her arms and legs. 

Eilidh’s size made the last bit difficult, but again, it was something that brownies had to finesse countless times in their history. In one slow motion, she pressed down with her limbs and drew them in toward the center, squeezing the breast in one motion as her lips latched on tight.

 _“Hahh.. hhh… ...Aah..!!”  
_A squeaking whimper from Dessa filled the air as Eilidh’s mouth quickly filled up; as she tried to down her reward, a second pulse overwhelmed her and she toppled backward in a messy heap. 

Even after Dessa’s whimpering ceased, it took some time for her breath to level out again. She didn’t bother trying to talk until the minuscule girl on her chest addressed her.  
“Heh… ye okay, lassie?

Quietly, she nodded and shook her head so her hair would be out of her eyes, before looking down at Eilidh.

“Uh-huh… are you?”  
The brownie laughed.

“Ne’er better.” She coughed and sat up, and Dessa couldn’t help but giggle at the peculiar sight. Eilidh’s face and hair were absolutely soaked with a thin, opaque white liquid that ran down onto her breasts and stomach as well. “I got’a say, though…”  
She licked her lips and scooped some of the milk off the body beneath her, taking a sip.

“It’s no bad. A bit different than what Ah’m used tae, but… _pret’ty damn good.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unrelated to the chapter itself, but the [Monster Outsider Character Bios](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27789826) page has been updated with profiles for the four LCF girls (Lilli, Kyrie, Mira & Violetta)!  
>   
> Also, not to tease but I just finished an explicit chapter for a character I've long felt deserved it, and I'm very excited about it! ...but that won't be coming for quite some time.😉  
> Beginning of April, maybe?


	59. The Mixer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyrie and co head to the resort's human/liminal mixer in search of some evening companionship, though not everyone is so confident.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm uploading this chapter a day early because I really like it. that's all.

Kyrie impatiently rapped her knuckle against the door across the hall for the third time. The voice of the panicked monoeye came muffled from the other side.  
“I-I’ll be out in a minute!”

_ “You’re  _ the one who agreed to go, you know… so you and Mira better hurry up. And besides, we have a surprise guest joining us.”

Violetta finally opened the door, apologizing profusely for running late. Most of her time had been spent in front of the mirror, in a feeble attempt to build herself up. As the monoeye composed herself, Kyrie studied her outfit: a baby-blue sundress with white accents, reminiscent of waves on an ocean, flowed over her dainty body. 

“Hm… not bad. Someone’s going to love that whole ‘sweet and innocent’ thing.” 

_ “I am not innocent!! I just—!!”  
_ Violetta clenched her fists, her voice coming out louder— and higher— than she intended to. A voice chimed in from her right, attempting to calm her down.  
“You look great, don’t worry about it.”

She turned to find Thomson, dressed in a slimming black cocktail dress, standing outside her door and rummaging through her purse. The coordinator looked back up and smiled cheerfully

“Kyrie pushed me into coming too. I’m not looking for anything, but I figured I’d tag along… should be interesting, right?”

Another door clicked open, and Mira made her way out to join them without a word. The three waiting outside were a bit surprised to find that the minotaur had formalwear that fit her unique frame appropriately: a sunflower-yellow dress cinched just beneath the bust for support, cascading down around the rest of her body.

“Wow, Mira…”  
“Wouldn’t have pegged you for something so feminine. Interesting,” Kyrie smirked. “Anyhow. Ten bucks says Lilli’s already down there seducing some poor sap. We ready to go, ladies?

* * *

As the four entered the hotel’s ballroom, all but Kyrie found themselves instantly overwhelmed. Most of the human attendees were men, of course, looking for a chance fling with a liminal girl during their getaway. Thomson wasn’t the  _ only _ human woman, but as she realized there couldn’t be more than maybe four or five she felt even more out of place. After thinking it over for a moment, she figured her best bet to remedy this was to make a beeline straight for the bar.

“Hey  _ baby,  _ looking good…”

Violetta froze and her face grew a bright red as the sultry voice arose behind her. It was immediately followed by a piercing feminine laugh.

“Aaahahaha, Vi you’re so  _ easy! _ Ohhh I gotta do that more…”  
Lilli rubbed the flustered monoeye’s shoulders. She was playing her part to the nines: a shimmering red cocktail dress with a gold dragon patterned upon it had countless eyes cast upon her, making her night’s work even easier.

“Go easy on her, Lilli. She’s new to this.” It had only been a few days that they'd known each other, but Kyrie tended to find herself somewhat annoyed by the succubus. She had no shame, no tact— or, perhaps,  _ too much  _ tact.

“Then in that case, might I recommend the beef?” Lilli leaned over Violetta's shoulder and flitted her eyes across the room to the tall, imposing minotaur from the day before, who was in the corner chatting up a wererabbit girl. Violetta gulped.

“No thanks, I think I’m okay…”  
“You sure? You wouldn’t  _ believe  _ how much that man can come.”

As Violetta let out a squeak, Thomson returned with a tall glass adorned with salt and lime.  
“Okay, it’s a start. I’m probably gonna need to be way drunker for this.”  


“Just the girl I wanted to see!” Lilli leaned forward with a devious grin, her cleavage leaving virtually nothing to the imagination. “I’m dying to know what  _ you’re _ looking for down here. What kind of  _ ~monster boy~  _ tickles an exchange coordinator’s fancy, mm?”

“Again… not drunk enough.” Thomson said, lifting her drink in a faux-toast. “Later, maybe.”  
“Well, suit yourself. Girls, if you expect some gorgeous young bachelor to approach you tonight, I suggest you split up. Laterrrr!~” With a wink, Lilli disappeared onto the floor.

Begrudgingly, the four remaining did as the succubus suggested: Kyrie was the first to depart ( _ It’s heartbreaking knowing that Lilli’s right about something, _ she said, before slinking toward the bar on slender legs), followed by Mira who, unsurprisingly, walked off without a word. This left just Thomson and Violetta, the two most humanoid of the group, standing beside one another and staring at the wide array of people in the hall.

“We can do this, right?” Thomson took a sip from her drink, keeping a steady poker face. Her monoeye companion was not so sure.  
“Uhm… I feel like I’d rather go do something else,” she said quietly, trying not to appear shaken. After a lack of response, she looked to Thomson, who set a hand on her shoulder.   


“C’mon. Let’s get you a drink. A  _ strong  _ drink. It’ll help.”

* * *

It wasn’t long until Mira found herself approached by the same minotaur from the day prior, which was the one outcome she dreaded. She had stood by the wall, arms crossed, avoiding all eye contact, but it hadn’t been enough. Apparently, Terro was incapable of reading body language. That or he just didn't care.

“Well, I didn’t expect to see  _ you  _ of all people here… I don’t believe I ever got your name, now that I think about it.”  
Mira took a deep breath. The male was irritating, like a fly that was far too big to swat, and it seemed he didn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer either. She leered at him.   
“....Mira.”

Terro smiled to himself. “Mira, how lovely. I've been thinking about you; you still have a hold on me, you know.”

_ Ugh…  
_ “No thank you.”

“You’re persistent, Mira. But so am I. I can’t even  _ think  _ of anyone else here.”  
Not only was the minotaur an obnoxious flirt, but he was a terrible liar. Mira’s eyes glanced down to the back of his hand where a phone number had been written in pen by the wererabbit earlier. Naturally she also knew about his rendezvous with Lilli, thanks to her loud mouth.

“Hey  _ you…” _ _  
_ Speaking of the she-devil, the succubus popped up beneath his arm, running her fingers along his chest.  
“Are you telling Mira what  _ fun  _ we had the other night? I didn’t know you could go that hard…”  
As she giggled, Terro turned red and began waving his arms defensively.

“What? N-No… that never happened! Do I even know your name?!”  
“Aw,  _ babyyy,  _ don’t be like that… I was hoping to ride you again later tonightttt!” As her eyes cut back to Mira, she gave a quick wink.  
_ God I do not understand your taste in men at all… you fucking owe me, girl. _

With a stern, feigned scoff, Mira turned and walked away, silently thanking the succubus for the diversion.

* * *

“I’m serious, I  _ love  _ that about you. So cool.”

“Ahah… Yeah, I guess…”  
Violetta’s drink was stronger than she expected, which had its advantages and disadvantages— for one, she was far more relaxed about chatting with others. On the opposite end, however, she found herself unsure of just how to back out of conversations, a thing that she was already awkward at.

“Yeah, I dunno. I know people can be kinda weird about monoeyes but I’m a fan. Like, a big fan.”  
Something felt off about the compliment but Violetta smiled through it anyway, thanking the alcohol for allowing her to do so more easily.   
“Something about the eye is just  _ so  _ sexy, I dunno…”  
Violetta’s smile remained but an alarm went off in her head.  
_ Ohh, god… that’s what it is… _

“Iiiii’m gonna get a drink, I’ll be right back okay?”   
The words were clear as crystal in Violetta’s mind, but came out as a loud, frazzled run-on sentence before she hurried off.  
She was grateful that Mira was easy to spot from a distance, though she  _ did  _ pick up another drink on the way in hopes of lowering her anxiety back to its base levels.

“Is it going well for you?”  
Mira glanced down to the head of jade hair that had just approached her. Saying nothing, she just shook her head. Violetta took the opportunity to vent.

“I’ve talked to a few guys but anyone who’s not already put off by me is a total creep, talking about how big and sexy my eye is or whatever. I guess it’s nice that they’re into me but _aughhh…_ there’s something so uncomfortable about it, I don’t know…”    
She couldn’t pace herself, the words spilled out and she was helpless to stop them. Hopefully, Mira wouldn’t find her annoying for it; it was the curse of being anxious and drunk simultaneously. She could never read the minotaur, but then again, she wasn’t sure _anyone_ could.  
When Violetta finished talking her mind swirled a bit, taking a moment to shift to listening mode before processing what the minotaur said in response.  


“Chasers.”

“... ...Huh?”  
Mira's expression was like stone. As she began to elaborate she closed her eyes, shivering slightly.

“...Human guy came up and talked about how 'hot' it was that I was huge and strong. Stared at my horns and hooves. Fetishized my traits.”

“Oh…” Violetta was a bit surprised; this was already the most she’d actually heard Mira talk. It was a bit unusual.

“They’re everywhere. Look at Kyrie.” The minotaur nodded toward the other side of the room, where a few human men were rubbing their hands against her long, thin legs in admiration. She was loving the attention.

“I guess humans aren’t for us—”  
“No.”

Surprised at the sentiment, Violetta turned to look back up to Mira's face. “Hm?”  
“Men that come to these things are sleazy. ...it’ll work out.”

She reflected on Mira’s words, unsure if she was ready to believe them herself. Either way, they were nice to hear regardless.   
“Mm. ...How do you think Thomson’s holding up?”

* * *

As it turned out, talking about herself to liminal men was becoming more of a deterrent than anything else. 

“Huh, that’s interesting… say, I’m gonna grab another beer. You want anything?” The lizardman waved his empty bottle.  
“Ah, no I’m okay, thank you.”  
As he walked away, Thomson’s eyes followed.  _ Yeah, he’s not coming back. Guess I should get another drink myself though… _

She waited a fair amount of time, enough to know that the man who just left would be gone, before heading over. As she waited for the bartender’s attention she tapped her nails idly on the counter.

“How’s it going, stranger?”  
In her periphery, Thomson saw a dark-haired man in a suit approach the bar beside her; playfully wrapped around his shoulders were Kyrie’s lean pedipalps.

“No luck?”  
“I’m doing alright, promise.” Thomson said. “Just turns out that if you’re a human with a government job, a lot of extraspecies men are wary of you.”

Kyrie chuckled to herself, caressing the man before her. “Well,  _ duh.  _ They probably think it’s entrapment or something. Have you tried  _ not  _ telling them that?”

“I’m not good with small talk, what do you want from me?” she snapped, realizing she was a bit more irritable than expected. As she grumbled about her situation the bartender, a grey-furred kobold, came by to take their orders.  
“Ladies, sir; what can I do for ya?”

The man in Kyrie’s grasp spoke for the first time.  
“White wine for the both of us, please.”  
“Comin’ right up. How about you, miss?”  
Thomson had already stopped paying attention, so the simple question took her by surprise.  
“Ah… gin and tonic, I suppose.”  
“Yes ma’am!”

As he dropped their drinks back off with a lingering smile, Kyrie thanked him and led her boytoy away. Before they left, however, she nudged Thomson and smirked with a slight nod.

_ Wha-? _

“Not matching up with anyone? Or just here with your friend?”  
Thomson’s attention snapped back to the bartender, who regarded her with a curious smile. 

“Oh. Uh, no. I don’t really think this place is my scene, I guess. Not like,  _ bummed,  _ but it is what it is, so…” She took a sip from her glass, then slid it forward a couple inches. “Sorry, do you think you could make it a little stronger?”

The kobold took the glass, topping it off with another splash of gin before sliding it back. “I get that, I suppose. For a human woman, not many extraspecies men here, and vice versa. … I’m sorry, not to assume that it’s a man you’re looking for. Force of habit, I suppose.”

“No need to apologize. I, ah…” Thomson took a sip and blinked in disbelief at how  _ much  _ stronger the drink was. “...I am. It is. Not that I guess I haven’t dabbled. But primarily, sure.” As her words came out a bit jumbled, the thought of Leaf laying beneath her flashed in her mind.

“Well then, color me a bit surprised. You’re pretty, you seem nice enough; there a reason nobody’s biting?”

She was fairly buzzed and thus hadn’t been particularly focused, but the compliment caught her attention. She glanced up and, for the first time, looked him over more closely.    
He was taller than her, maybe six feet or so overall, with black hair that was… as well-styled as a kobold could manage, all things considered; the sleeveless white button-down he was wearing was overlaid with a deep grey vest which displayed his toned arms. It might have looked strange on a human, but given the light grey fur coating his body he didn’t seem any less clothed for it at a glance. The snout on his face was more pronounced than the females of his species, though not by much, and his smile was genial, though his sharpened canine teeth gave it a hint of carnality.

“Oh. Uh. Well. I work with the Interspecies Exchange Program, so you’d imagine how most liminals react to that, at this sort of thing.” Thomson hated that it had begun to sound like a confession when she described her job to others at the mixer, like she had to be cautious in order for them to not be afraid of her.

The kobold whistled as he popped open a bottle of beer for a nearby man. “That’d just about do it,” he chuckled, handing it off. “Probably think you’re gonna bust them for illicit activities.”

A sigh left Thomson’s mouth without her realizing it. “I don’t even  _ care  _ that much, y’know? I’m on vacation, I left my work back home. Just trying to enjoy myself, but well…” She nodded toward the center of the room where Lilli had several men begging just to be close to her.  
“My friends seem to be pretty good at making the most of their trip.”

As he was setting a glass on the counter, a small thoughtful smile crossed the kobold’s lips. He froze in place for just a moment as stared at it, admiring the crystalline patterning on the side. A quick chuckle showed a flash of his pointed, white teeth.

“...What would you say,” he began, turning his gaze to her as he spoke deliberately and warmly, “...if I asked for your company when I get done tonight?”

Taken entirely off-guard, Thomson turned a rosy shade of pink. “I, uhm…”   
“There’s no pressure,” he followed up. “Just, y’know. If no one else here seems to meet your standards, I wouldn’t mind seeing you again. That’s all.”

“Uh… yeah.” It was hard for Thomson to get the words out, for some reason. She didn’t know why, she was usually so damned  _ articulate. _ “That’d… be great.”

“Wonderful. Lucky me, then.” She watched as his hand sank beneath the counter and returned with two short glasses, setting them down and pouring a shot in each.

“Oh, wow, I guess I should tell you my name, huh?...” He lifted his own glass, the pads on his palm and fingertips holding it gingerly. “I’m Sano.”

Thomson raised her own, still blushing furiously. “Uhm… Aria.”

_ “Aria… _ beautiful,” Sano remarked as he clinked their glasses together. “Well, Aria… think you can meet me back here around midnight?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The parallels with Violetta's experience in this chapter are about as subtle as a brick to the face, but I wanted to include it nonetheless. 
> 
> The very first sentiment from the man she was speaking to ("I know people can be weird about [your identity] but I'm a fan. Like, a big fan.") is something I was actually told once. I couldn't resist utilizing it, it's just _such an uncomfortable thing to say to someone._ People are weird, y'all.


	60. Patching Things Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corin still feels awful about upsetting Dessa and tries to find a way to make it up to her. Chelle asks a favor of Gio.

Chelle’s claws clicked nervously as she made her way down the hall. Everyone hadn’t reconvened since the disruption the night before, and she sincerely hoped that breakfast wouldn’t be awkward. There was really no way to tell. Either way, she didn’t expect to find only Gio in the kitchen when she arrived.

“...Where is everybody?” She looked around, a bit bewildered. Gio glanced her way and, at a total loss, shrugged.

“Beats me. Eilidh’s still asleep, guess she had a late night… Dessa hasn’t come out of the loft, and… well, for some reason Corin hasn’t come out of her room either. I guess she feels really bad.”

 _That_ one surprised Chelle. It was unlike Corin not to be the second or third awake in the mornings. After a moment of worry, she figured it would be best to just go and check on the girl.  
  


“Corin, breakfast is ready… … Corin?”

Chelle cracked the door gently before peering inside. For a moment she thought Corin was still asleep, but then she saw the covers being pulled tighter as the two visible antennae twitched. Quietly, she closed the door behind her and approached the bed.  
“Corin, are you okay?...

Two pink eyes peered out from beneath the covers, much less vibrant and enthusiastic than normal.

“I’m… worried about seeing Miss Dessa…” Corin’s voice was a bit muffled by the covers— she looked more like a bagworm than a mantis at the moment. Chelle quietly sat on the floor beside her.

“She’s still in the loft,” she replied. “Have you thought about what to say to her?”

The curled-up mass shifted in what was assumedly a nod. “Yes, of course. I’m just… nervous.”  
She’d thought of nothing _but_ what to say to Dessa, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to actually approach her. It was entirely possible by this point that Corin had even blown the situation out of proportion, but it didn’t make it any easier.

Chelle rubbed the blanket cocoon assuringly. “You’ll do fine, just be patient with her. Do you want me to come with you?”  
“No, it’s okay… I can do this.”

“If you need a push, I can tell Gio not to give you breakfast until you do it.”  
As Chelle giggled, Corin’s voice sounded more pathetic than ever.  
“You wouldn’t dare, that’s so mean!”

“It’s what Sierra would say,” the serket replied with a shrug. “Tough love, right?”

Corin pouted. “If you ask me, it’s not becoming of you at _all._ But fine, I’ll go…”

* * *

With anxiety-fueled hesitation, Corin made her way up the stairs of the loft. The scent of crispy bacon and sausage made her stomach growl, and she tried to ignore its motivation so that her words would feel more sincere.

“Miss Dessa?...”

She rounded the corner at the top and saw a sprawled-out shape beneath a blanket on the floor. _Guess she’s already asleep…_

After a moment the pile shifted, and the stray wing that poked out from it lazily moved its blanket to allow two velvety ears to pop up, followed by the telltale head of messy white hair.

“Mm?... Oh, ‘morning Corin…”

Corin was a bit taken aback at the greeting— Dessa seemed groggy, but not upset in the slightest. Had she already gotten over it? The mantid cleared her throat and flattened out her shirt, before kneeling on the ground.

“Good morning. Miss Dessa, I… came to apologize.” Her nerves kept her speaking; she didn’t want to hear Dessa’s reaction yet, the mere thought was terrifying.  
“I’ve treated you unfairly because of my preconceptions and it was wrong of me. I like to imagine that I’m open and receptive and understanding of others’ differences and where they come from but I… clearly have a lot to learn about other liminals. I truly am very fond of you and although I meant nothing by it at the time I’m going to do my best to ensure that you feel respected and equal to the rest of us. I understand if you’re still upset, but I hope you can find it within yourself to forgive me.”

She closed her eyes in a terrified anticipation, her head bowed. The silence was unbearable, but she was fortunate it didn’t last long.

“It’s okay.”

 _Huh?..._ Corin looked up to Dessa, who was scritching behind an ear with her claw, her head tilted in an almost canine fashion. After a moment, she stopped.

“I know I can be a handful… and I was really upset. I just wanna fit in with everyone. But it’s okay. Stuff’s gonna happen.”

“I… I suppose so,” Corin was still a bit bewildered, but she didn’t want to sound in the least like she was pitying the girl. “Still, it was unfair of me and I want to make it up to you.”

“Make it up to me?” Dessa’s ears twitched, and Corin nodded.  
“Yes! How would you like to have a girls’ night tonight? It can be just me and you if you’d prefer, or we can have Miss Chelle and Eilidh join us!”

She couldn’t see Dessa’s eyes, but the reaction was still undoubtedly positive: she giggled and jumped forward, tackling Corin in an affectionate hug.

“That sounds fun! I can’t wait!”

* * *

Chelle hadn’t ever even really seen the inside of Gio’s room— in fact, Sierra’s was pretty much the only other one she’d been to, save for Dessa’s space in the loft. But she’d worked up the nerve to ask what she’d been thinking about since Jessie was there the night before, and since Sierra wasn’t around… well, the harpy was the best option, and she headed there shortly after waking up in the late afternoon.  
As she knocked, she could hear huffing from the other side of the door.  
“... _C’mon… hahh… in… hahhh… it’scool…”_

She slowly cracked the door, and was almost embarrassed by the sight: Gio was in the midst of a set of bicycle crunches, and was… well, the _sweatiest_ she’d ever seen him.

“Uhh… are you sure you’re fine? I can come back…”

 _“..hahh… hhno, hold on… hahh… … ...phew…_ okay.”   
After a few heaving breaths, he sat up and toweled his forehead off. Chelle sat across from him on the floor, patiently waiting.   
“So what’s up? Need something?”

Gio studied her eyes, which glanced from him to the weights that lay nearby.  
“Hello? Chelle?”

She shook her head. “Sorry, I was just thinking. Uhm, so… normally I would ask Sierra about this kind of thing, but she’s not here…”

“Mhm?” Gio tilted his head curiously. Chelle was a sweetheart, but she definitely struggled to ask for help at times. As she clenched her fists she took a breath and spoke bluntly.

“I want to get stronger. And… braver. For Jessie. I want to be able to protect her like Sierra protects Leaf. And I wanna be able to protect myself too.”

She had been meaning to ask Sierra about the latter, at the very least. When the echidna’s family visited, however, that cemented the idea: if anyone from her past happened to resurface, or if anything equally bad threatened her, Chelle wanted to be ready. And after seeing what Lachesis tried to do to Leaf, she also wanted to be prepared to protect her girlfriend if necessary.

The harpy couldn’t help but smile as he remembered the girl who first showed up in their house a few months earlier. Scared, trembling, afraid to assert herself. She’d really changed.

“And you thought I was the perfect teacher? I’m honored,” he teased. Chelle rolled her eyes in return.  
“Ugh. You are so lame.”

“Anyways,” Gio continued, choosing to ignore the criticism, “I’d love to help. But there’s some things you gotta keep in mind. Namely, remember that we can’t harm humans.”

She thought of the man from long ago.  
If something like that ever happened again, she didn’t know if she could keep herself in check.  
“...I know.”

“Alright, cool. How do you feel about morning runs?”

Chelle glanced down to her legs beneath. They weren’t exactly made for speed, but she could at least climb and maneuver easily enough. Gio realized his mistake and cleared his throat.  
“Okay, maybe ‘no’ on the running. I’ll put together some stuff and we can start tomorrow, yeah?”

* * *

A few hours ahead of time, Corin issued directions for the girls of the house via text: ‘wear whatever makes you feel sexiest’, and noted that their evening would begin around seven. Gio was a little less excited about his part, walking straight into Corin’s room as soon as he received his own, personalized text message.

“I’m not doing that.”  
“Come on Gio, pretty please? It’s for Miss Dessa!”

“I am _not_ just a piece of meat for your entertainment,” the harpy scoffed. Corin raised an eye at this.

“Oh please, you _love_ being a piece of meat. Besides, isn’t it _someone’s_ mating season? Bet you could score if you play your cards right.”

With a resigned sigh, Gio nodded. He wouldn’t get his hopes up, but his libido certainly didn’t mind the suggestion of the possibility.   
“Fine. But I’m going all-out.”

Corin giggled and flashed her most charming smile. “That’s a good boy.”

  
A ‘girl’s night’ for nocturnals was a bit odd, as it wasn’t too long after she’d awoken, but Dessa found it exciting nonetheless. As she rummaged through her clothes, she realized she wasn’t even certain she _had_ a nice outfit… and so she turned to Chelle for help.

“It’s not much, but this is a good start I’d say.”   
Dessa stood before the mirror, rotating back and forth to look herself over. It wasn’t _perfect—_ the exposed-back top didn’t cut down quite far enough at the waist and so it pressed against the membrane of her wings— but it did alright, so long as she didn’t raise her arms too high.

“If it gets to be a pain, I can cut it up to make it a little roomier. It looks good on you.” Chelle smiled, before an idea crossed her mind. “I know you normally have your hair down, but… would you like me to do your makeup or something?”

* * *

“We’re ready!”

Corin looked up and nearly dropped the bottle of wine she was pouring from as she saw the pair. Dessa was wearing Chelle’s black top and a pleated skirt to match, but most surprising was the fact that her face was readily visible at a glance. Her bangs were pinned to one side, exposing her bright red eyes which were framed by sharp, egyptian-style eyeliner. 

“Miss Dessa, oh my _gosh!_ You look amazing!” It had been a minute since either girl had seen Corin’s eyes this wide, and they both found it terribly amusing. She immediately set down the bottle and took the bat’s claws in her hands.  
“I’ve so rarely seen your face, you look so lovely!”

Dessa giggled, blushing slightly. Despite the almost theatrical enthusiasm, she could tell that Corin meant it. As they talked, she poured the two younger homestays a drink.

“Ye’re gonna pour me one too, right?”

A few feet away, the tiniest member of their home stood with her hands on her hips, looking skeptically at the trio.  
“And here ye all look like ye’re goin’ tae start without me!”

Corin shook her head and knelt down, holding out an open palm. “Of course not… Come here, let’s have a look at you!”

Once brought up to eye level, Eilidh spun daintily across Corin’s palm in her tiny cyan dress. The others couldn’t help but wonder whether it was actually manufactured for tiny liminals or just made for dolls… but either way, it complimented her eyes and hair well. She turned to look at each of them, her eyes lingering on the bat.

“Ouh, Dessa! Lookin’ healthy tidy, if Ah can say…”  
“You can,” she giggled. The others looked at her in confusion.

“I… don’t know what that means,” Chelle said. She looked to Corin, who shrugged in agreement.  
“It means I’m _sexy!”_ Dessa replied, absolutely beaming.

It was… nice to feel appreciated.


	61. Diving In [E]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thomson, nervous but glad to have someone to spend the night with, meets back up with the bartender from the mixer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **CW: Explicit sexual content**

Good to her word, Thomson re-entered the hotel’s ballroom just before midnight, where only a cleanup crew remained. Behind the bar, Sano was stacking clean glasses and wiping everything down.  
 _God, I’m bad at this,_ she thought as she approached him. _What do I even say? Hey, stranger… Hi, you remember me, right? Hi, Sano, are you ready?  
_ She was so busy overanalyzing the situation that she almost missed the kobold calling out to her.

“Hey, Aria, you came! I’m glad! Give me a couple more minutes and I’ll be ready, okay?”

She stood by the bar, awkwardly smiling at liminal passersby as Sano wrapped up, and after what felt like an eternal silence filled only by the clinking of bottles and glasses, he turned to her and grinned.

“All done. Do you want a shot or something before we head out?”  
Thomson shook her head, politely refusing. “Oh, no, it’s okay, you’ve just finished—”  
“It’s not a problem! I’ve got paper cups too, and I was thinking about it myself. Calm the nerves and all that.”

Sano had a point. She had already been overthinking the whole way back down to meet him.

“Maybe just one,” she said. He nodded and poured the both of them some tequila; after she tossed it back, she changed her mind.  
“....Two, actually. If that’s fine.”  
“Of course!”  
  
The kobold did the same, then replaced the bottle and tossed the cups.  
“You ready?”

“Ah… yeah.” She tried to maintain her composure as they left and headed toward the elevator. _Wait, does he stay here? I’d figured he had a place or something…_

* * *

“You okay? I’m not makin’ you nervous, am I?”

Thomson realized she was staring at the elevator floor as they rode together. “Oh! No, I’m sorry. I’m okay. Really.”  
She watched the LED number on the elevator climb higher until it stopped at eight. _Huh?..._

“C’mon, I wanna show you something.” Sano stepped out ahead of her into the small hallway that split toward each locker room and pulled out a set of keys.

“Let’s see…” He fumbled with the double-doors directly in front of them for a moment, before accomplishing his goal.  
“Got it!”

He opened the door and Thomson stared out at the pool, surrounded by its somewhat kitchy faux tropical flora. It wasn’t particularly well lit— after all, it was the middle of the night— but the lamps beneath the pool’s surface gave the body of water an almost otherworldly presence that illuminated everything nearby in a gentle cyan glow.

“Can we… be up here?” Thomson asked, a bit breathless at the calming sight. Sano shrugged.  
“I’ve got the keys tonight, and frankly as long as we’re careful nobody will care. A lot of the employees come by after close once in a while to take a dip.”

 _Oh really,_ she thought as she sat by the pool’s edge and removed her shoes.  
“So you _always_ bring girls here, then,” she said. Sano lifted a hand in defense as he gently kicked off his dress shoes as well.

“Hey, you really think that little of me, huh?” He chuckled and sat beside her, rolling up his pant legs and submerging his feet. Thomson couldn’t help but watch; his calves were covered in a thin grey layer of fur just as his arms were, and the claws on his feet matched those of his hands.

“Well, I can’t say I _know_ you, so jury’s out.”

“Well for what it’s worth, Miss Aria, I haven’t brought _anyone_ up here. ’Least, not romantically.”  
“Sexually?” she inquired teasingly, eliciting a quiet laugh from him. 

“Nah, just friends. Always thought about bringing someone I liked, though. It’s just such a nice ambiance.”

She looked at his face, a shimmery blue-grey in the water’s refracted light. Thomson was good at reading people, it was a benefit from both of her careers, and there was something she found innately trustworthy about him.  
“So I’m your first?”

Sano nodded. “Yep. I mean— no! Wait, not like—!” He turned away, a bit bashful, and she laughed and leaned in, nudging him gently with her arm.   
“Not what I meant, but no judgment either way.”

The classic game started up between them: soft silences broken by occasional lines, eyes meeting-then-parting with a smile or tail wag, the occasional glance toward one another’s lips. And before long, when Thomson’s tells became obvious and affectionate enough, Sano closed the gap between them and kissed her.

In the breaks where their lips parted, Thomson would open her eyes slightly, sneaking glimpses at the blue-grey face before her. She placed a hand on his chest, sighing into his mouth. It rested there for a moment, fingers occasionally tensing around one of the buttons on his shirt then relaxing again, and as Sano’s hand ran up her thigh he glanced down to her arm.

“Is my body unusual to you?”  
He didn’t mean it negatively, he was simply curious. Statistically speaking, _most_ human women weren’t accustomed to any sort of demihuman body, and he couldn’t fault her hesitation if that was the case. Thomson shook her head.

“Unusual isn’t the right word,” she said with a patient smile. “...New.”   
Sano chuckled.  
“Take your time, it’s cool.”

She felt like a high school girl again— slowly unbuttoning a boy’s shirt and concealing her nervousness as best she could. As the final buttons of his shirt and vest were flicked open, Thomson ran both her hands up his stomach to his chest and back down. It looked similar enough, but it was an entirely different sensation than a human man: the thin layer of grey fur, with a lighter, almost cream-colored shade running up his torso, was soft and lush, but firm beneath.

She didn't know what she was thinking, exactly— her body moved on its own, and she just kind of… went with it. As her fingers ran through his chest fur Thomson kissed him deeply, then leaned in until the kobold was horizontal beneath her. 

Sano could feel her breathing growing heavier as she straddled him, her lips traveling to nip at his neck and chest. He tried to be delicate with her dress as he slowly pulled her zipper down in turn, afterward sliding the top half of the dress down to reveal a lacy black bralette. He grinned.

“God _damn,_ ” he said with a growl, pulling her close once more and tending to her neck. A few moments later the latch on the back of her bralette unhooked and was tossed to the side. He sat up, leaving Thomson more or less seated in his lap, and swirled his hungry tongue around her chest.  
She let out a soft moan as he teased, her fingers gripping at him, then felt her attention drawn to something else that had become more prominent beneath her.

As Sano kissed and licked the blonde’s neck and chest, he felt her fingers drift between their bodies before sliding down further, along the hardened length concealed by his suit pants. For a moment she left it at this, letting her fingers slide up and down gently… but before too much longer her hand wrapped around it, feebly tugging and stroking through the fabric.

She wanted it, and she wanted it now.

He allowed her to take lead as she persisted through the final remaining button and zipper before climbing off and removing his pants entirely. By this point her dress was bunched around her waist, her matching black undergarments exposed and plainly visible against her fair, illuminated skin. She knelt beside him as he lay back, kissing his stomach and fondling him gently, before gradually working her way down to remove the last remaining barrier of cotton fabric.

Thomson was well aware that liminal physiology, well… _varied_ depending on the species— for example centaur men were startlingly well-endowed and resembled horses far more than they did humans— but she hadn’t actually considered it a phenomenon she’d ever witness in person. In the heat of the moment she couldn’t possibly care less, but she was admittedly a bit intrigued: for the most part, his equipment was familiar enough, albeit a bit thicker around the middle, with a reddish-pink tint to it. The head, however, was uncharted territory— an unfamiliar shape, almost like a spade.

 _No time like the present,_ she thought as her head lowered, swirling her tongue around him gently as she stroked the base. She heard Sano exhale, gruff and slow, and after a minute more Thomson felt his padded palm and fingers upon the back of her head.

She slid down as far as she could, her lips parting further as he grew harder within her mouth. As she reached the base she moaned with a low hum and immediately felt his fingers tense up in her hair.

Unable to help himself, Sano’s hips lifted up gently into her mouth, searching for more. He felt the girl’s hands sliding up his sides before scratching on the way back town, small tufts of fur between her fingers as they roamed. 

Withdrawing her mouth, Thomson wrapped a hand around him and continued to stroke. She looked up at him with a sheepish smile.

“It’s a little different for me… am I doing okay?”

“Mmf… god, yes…”  
The feeling of Sano’s claws lightly scratching against her scalp had Thomson under a nearly hypnotic spell. She smiled and spent a little more time playing with the head, which still fascinated her to an extent, allowing her tongue to trace every centimeter. As she teased the area just beneath, he inhaled sharply. “Fffuck…”

Thomson felt his hand grip her bicep, and as she looked up she saw something wild flash in his green eyes. Her fingers dug into Sano’s furred hip and he sat up, pulling her up against him once more. The feeling of his length, now slick with her saliva, felt absolutely delicious teasing between her own wet thighs, and seconds later they were horizontal once more, her hips grinding tight up against his own. She gasped as his teeth sank gently into her shoulder, his claws pawing hungrily at her lace underwear before tugging it down forcefully. Thomson shifted to allow them to slide off before pressing the whole of her body against him, shivering at the sudden grazing of Sano’s chisel-like length pressing against her bare slit. She must have looked a bit flustered, as after she kissed him he chuckled to himself. “You okay?”

She nodded and continued to kiss him, holding herself up on one elbow as her hand slipped down between her legs to guide him. For a few seconds she teased, grinding against the head and giggling as his breath quickened and grip tightened, and then finally she began to slide down onto him.

Trying not to break skin, Sano’s claws ran down to her hips and dug in. Slowly, she brought her hips up and back down, rolling gently, determined to make him moan even louder. After a moment of stabilizing herself she ran her hands up his furred chest, sinking her own less effective nails into him. As he grew used to her motions she switched it up, bouncing faster, her own breathing picking up to match her speed.

Every time Thomson nearly rose off him, at the peak, there was a sharp, delightful twinge within Sano’s hips. He was determined to chase the high; with a growl he pulled her tight against him and began thrusting upward, taking charge on his own.

A quick gasp shifted into repeated, submissive moans as she allowed her body to fall against his, her head against his shoulder as he swirled his canine tongue against her ear and neck. Before much longer it became too difficult to control herself, so she gave up and let the kobold have his way, gasping and pleading in his ear, her body nearly limp other than the fistful of hair on the back of his head that she held onto.

She shuddered as Sano’s thrusts switched, becoming strong, deliberate and deep. He tried to speak, but his words were buried under staggered breaths.

_“Hahhh… hahhh...hhria… I… fuck… nngh...”_

Her eyes widened as she felt it: at the deepest point of the last few thrusts, it felt like he grew… _thicker._ Sano wrapped an arm around her, his other hand gripping her ass, as he pulled her tight, and then she realized she was right. The thickened knot at the base of his length rubbed against her, causing a long and trembling moan to fall from her lips before her body swallowed it up and held it tight, eliciting a sharp gasp. Unable to ride against him as well as before, Thomson resorted to rolling her hips back and forth as little as she could, the pair’s whines and moans intermingling until Sano’s turned low and rumbling. He tried his hardest to hold back, but he couldn’t take it anymore.  
With a deep, bestial moan his hips shook, and Thomson reflexively gripped him even tighter. She felt the shot of warmth fill deep inside her as Sano’s hips bucked, and in response she moaned into his mouth furiously. This… was also a new one for her, and as far as she was concerned, it was fucking _heaven.  
_ After four or five strong, full pulses, the pair’s bodies relaxed and she felt the knot diminish. Thomson’s legs were shaking, which became accompanied by a full-body shiver as she felt Sano’s claws trickle up and down her bare back. She ran her hands along his chest, trying desperately to slow her breath; in the back of her mind, the sensation reminded her of when she was young and would nap on the fur rug her father owned.

“Don’t get too comfortable now,” Sano mumbled, exhausted, beneath his breath. “We can't fall asleep here…”  
With a shivering sigh, Thomson drew a little circle with her finger on his chest. “I know… just give me a bit first. ...I like this.”

The kobold chuckled and nodded. “Sounds good… I think I’m gonna have to find you again after you leave, Miss Aria.”


End file.
